Government’s Driver CPC advice for technicans challenged 14 May 2013

Two of the major transport industry bodies – the Freight Transport Association and Road Haulage Association – are questioning recent government advice affecting commercial vehicle workshop staff.

FTA and RHA are voicing their concern at the Department for Transport's messages regarding technicians driving heavy goods vehicles to statutory annual tests being considered in-scope of the Driver CPC Directive.

In a joint letter to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport Stephen Hammond, the associations raised the point that, according to industry estimates, there are more than 30,000 technicians in the UK.

They also state that, although they are aware that a few companies have taken the decision to include these employees in their DCPC training programmes, they believe the vast majority have not.

For all of them to achieve full compliance for their staff in just over one year, say the FTA and RHA, would be a massive task and cost for the industry – and one that they believe will deliver relatively little benefit to the freight industry.

FTA and RHA are calling on the minister to consider their points, and have requested the opportunity to discuss the matter with him.

Both associations believe the directive was never intended to include such activity, and refer the minister to the title of Directive 2003/59/EC and the frequent references within the recital which refer to 'the profession of driver'.

"The FTA feels strongly that recent advice issued by the DfT represents an unreasonable reading of the directive, which we believe will put undue burden on our members and all businesses within the logistics sector," states FTA chief executive Theo de Pencier.

"The RHA doesn't think that the directive was ever intended to include the same restrictions on technicians and mechanics carrying out these activities," adds Geoff Dunning, RHA chief executive. "The frequent reference to 'the profession of driver' in the recital confirms to us that technicians, who are neither professional drivers nor engaged in the carriage of goods, were not who the Commission had in mind when developing these requirements."

Author
John Challen

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