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RHA Scotland attacks 'perverse' decision on livestock movement

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The Road Haulage Association (RHA) in Scotland has attacked the government's decision to again turn down a request to relax drivers' hours regulations so that a backlog of livestock can be tackled in the wake of foot and mouth.

RHA Scotland is concerned that stranded animals need to be moved quickly to allow the Scottish farming industry to recover.

The Department for Transport dismissed the animal welfare case as "a short-term local problem", an attitude that RHA Scotland has claimed is London-centric and short-sighted.

"The decision is perverse to say the least," said the group's director, Phil Flanders.

"The Scottish Government has worked really hard on behalf of the industry to prove the case. The whole industry is united with the hauliers, we wouldn't ask if we and NFU Scotland, National Sheep Association, Scottish Meat Processors etc. didn't believe we need this. The Scottish Government would not have supported this if they didn't believe in our case.

"The animals cannot be moved as there are not enough hauliers or drivers to cope."

He added that livestock haulage drivers are "very knowledgeable and know how to look after the animals in their care", having to prove they are competent beforehand.

Scottish livestock hauliers have been hit hard by the latest outbreak of foot and mouth in Surrey that prompted the government to restrict livestock movements.

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