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MPs attack Vosa plans
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The Transport Select Committee has criticised LGV safety standards and what it sees as privatisation of Vosa. Dylan Gray reports.
The Transport Select Committee pulls no punches: "We are concerned that the Vosa responsibilities considered In scope' for outsourcing to private companies include training, lorry and bus testing, routine enforcement [fleet checks, vehicle examinations] as well as roadside enforcement support. The number of staff considered 'in scope' for outsourcing totals 1,692 over half the total number of Vosa staff (60%).
'With staff in 'grey areas' added, the proportion is even higher. We would question the claim that it is not the Department for Transport's intention to privatise Vosa if over half the staff were outsourced.We have serious reservations about proposals to outsource any testing and enforcement responsibilities."
In fact the MPs were concerned enough to warn:"Safety must be the top priority."
Jack Semple director of policy at the Road Haulage Association (RHA) says: "It is vital that the industry has confidence in Vosa testers' independence. We wouldn't want to see routine enforcement 'in scope' for outsourcing."
The Freight Transport Association is less forthcoming:Geoff Dossetter says it is still in the process of talking to Vosa about outsourcing.
There is certainly support for privatising some of Vosa's roles. Last year Ian Jones,
managing director of commercial vehicles at DaimlerChrysler (UK), declared that Vosa should relinquish responsibility for testing, adding that Mercedes-Benz would be ready to take on the task. And the DtT doesn't rule out such a move. According to a spokesperson: -Vosa continuously looks for ways to improve its road safety enforcement activities and its services to operators and customers while providing value for money.
"To that end, Vosa is undertaking a detailed feasibility study into private-sector involvement in the provision of its services.The study aims to establish whether outsourcing would deliver better value for money, improve customer services, lighten the regulatory burden and deliver wider government objectives. And, responding to concerns expressed by the Transport Committee, he adds: "Road safety will continue to be paramount for Vosa."
Non-compliance
Another issue brought up by the report was that of accidents caused by non-compliance of LG Vs. Again, the committee throws down the gauntlet: "Such a high rate of non-compliance with safety standards by LG Vs-and particularly foreign-registered vehicles -is a reason for real concern. It suggests that the total number of unroadworthy lorries currently on our roads is staggeringly and unacceptably high.
"The DtT must ensure that Vosa is provided with more resources to invest in enforcement checks which will raise compliance levels to an acceptable level. The DtT cannot divorce itself from this crisis of noncompliance: it must state what action it will take, and when. Ensuring that all CVs meet high safety standards will have the added benefit of creating a level playing field among UK and foreign haulage operators."
Dossetter seconds that view: "Vosa has limited resources and needs to he better funded:This would help improve its efficiency."
The RHA also agrees. "We're unhappy about the enforcement," says Semple. "Foreign operators need to he targeted in particular for cabotage offences."
The DfT spokesman makes the right noises: "We're taking robust action on enforcement. This includes piloting anew approach to tackling unroadworthy foreign vehicles, using smarter technology and introducing more effective penalty regimes to deter offenders.
"Vosa's South-East pilot will deliver a five-fold increase in the volumes checked at the main ports of entry with a 24/7 presence targeting at-risk vehicles before they enter the road network. Vosa is increasingly using modern technology —such as weigh-in-motion sensors — to spot overweight vehicles, and also automatic number plate recognition to spot those who have a poor record of compliance.
-The graduated fixed-penalty scheme will enableVosa to issue fixed penalties to offenders, which means there will be additional deterrent for UK offenders, and new deterrent for foreign offenders," he claims.
The RHA is particularly unhappy about the report's view of London's low-emission zone (LEZ). The MPs say: "Without more radical measures, progress will not he made in reducing particulates and nitrogen dioxide.The DlT should also encourage local authorities to adopt bold measures such as the LEZ, and reward those that make clear improvements."
Semple responds: "The [LEZ] scheme is completely unhelpful and should be discouraged. It is hugely expensive for no benefit and sends the wrong message."
The DfT was criticised in the report for withholding what the committee regards as vital information: "The DfT annual report does not give details of the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted by the transport sector. This omission allows the DfT to disguise its poor performance.
PSA targets
"We recommend that the new Public Service Agreement (PSA) targettobe established in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, allows proper scrutiny of the DIT's performance in this policy area. and identify greenhouse gas and CO, from the transport sector alone.
"This will help guide action to reduce the transport sector's contribution to climate change."
The MT says: "Progress is being made on the two targets we share with Defra [on climate change and air quality] although we agree there is no room for complacency."
The committee seems to accept the controversial issue of road pricing as a done deal: "Failing against a road congestion target with such a weak ambition is disappointing. If the target for strategic roads is to be met, the DIT and the Highways Agency will have to implement a full package of bold measures.We would suggest that the DfT should not exclude the possibility of road pricing demonstration projects on the most congested sections of the network."
The RHA feels strongly about this issue. Semple warns:"It is a hugely complex scheme and will have little effect on congestion. We'd like to have seen more questioning from the committee. It's disappointing that they talked about the details of its implementation and not why it is being implemented. Also, no one has yet said why it will work."
The DfT spokesman responds: "Work is ongoing on the targets on congestion on local roads and strategic roads which are set in the future. PSA targets are rightly challenging."
However, the report is not entirely critical: "We congratulate the DfT for being on course to meet its road casualty reduction targets. The number of people killed or seriously injured in 2005 was 33% below the 1994-98 average (against a target reduction of 40% by 2010) and the number of children killed or seriously injured was 49% below the 1994-98 average (against a target of 50%).
"It is encouraging that the DfT is also on track to meet the added objective of tackling the significantly higher incidence of casualties in disadvantaged communities." •