Bill will harmonise NI licensing and enforcement regime for freight vehicles
Date: 14 August 2007
A new bill is being passed that is likely to mean the licensing and enforcement regime for commercial vehicles - including freight haulage vehicles - is the same in Northern Ireland as it is in the rest of the UK.
Phil Flanders of the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and Tom Wilson of the Freight Transport Association (FTA) met with Arlene Foster, minister of the environment earlier this month, and were told that a bid has been made to pass the Road Transport Bill through the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Once it gets through, it will mean that Northern Ireland will have the same powers of licensing and enforcement that exist in Great Britain.
"Operator licensing for all commercial vehicle operators has applied elsewhere in the UK since 1968 and the result has been a considerable improvement in safety standards and legal compliance," said Mr Wilson.
"Although the current scene in Northern Ireland is by no means bad, I am sure that we can look forward to improvements to the mutual benefit of both commercial vehicle operators and other road users."
It was also recognised in the meeting that Northern Ireland has never been given money under the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund, an issue that the FTA and RHA have said they will pursue.
Phil Flanders concluded: "It is encouraging to know that we have a Minister who is so well informed and I am confident that we have formed the foundation of a good working relationship between the Assembly and the road freight operators of Northern Ireland."
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