1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184 
A breath of fresh Blair
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
What did Labour's return from the wilderness mean for the industry? Well, vehicle impounding, working time regs and 44-tonners for a start. Patric Cunnane report
0 n I May 1997 the world turned upside down. After 18 years and four successive electoral defeats Labour was returned to power— 418 Labour MPs were elected including 101 women, giving Prime Minister Tony Blair a majority of 179.
The party's manifesto promised a 20-year national transport strategy to serve wider social and economic purposes, with a goal to win more passengers and freight on to rail. There were commitments to join Europe's Social Chapter, to introduce a legally-binding national minimum wage and to introduce the right to trade union recognition.
Environmental concerns
The document held bad news for those who wanted heavier LGVs: "We are unpersuaded by the case for heavier, 44-tonne lorries," it said. "Our concern is that they would prove dangerous and damaging to the environment." However, a later White Paper made it clear the door was not closed on the idea.
Neither was there immediate good news for those who wanted an end to the fuel escalator, dreamed up by outgoing chancellor Kenneth Clarke. The Tories had pledged to "increase fuel duties by at least 3%' in real terms each year in a move aimed at reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2000. leaving UK hauliers paying the highest level of fuel tax in the EU"( CM 22 May 1997)—and the new chancellor, Gordon Brown, seemed in no hurry to ditch this handy extra income.
However, as events were to prove, he would not he allowed to get away with it without protests from an angry industry. See the next instalment of Milestones for more on this. Transport received scant attention in the early months of Blair's first government as a tsunami of policy announcements on core issues such as education and health poured forth from Downing Street. But by January 1998 the focus had begun to shift.
The DVLA announced that credit-card-style licences carrying a picture of the owner were to be introduced by the summer of I 998."They are designed to prevent driving test fraud and will be recognised by police forces throughout the EU," we reported (CM 1 January 1998).
Then came the meatier issue of the impounding of unlicensed vehicles by the Vehicle Inspectorate. The government had put the matter out for consultation and some believed that action was imminent, SouthEast and Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner Brigadier Michael Turner told delegates at a transport forum: I'd give it 18 months —I think it's as close as that." (CM19 Marchl 998) In fact. the provision came into force on 4 January 2002, seven months after Labour's second landslide victory. It became law under the Goods Vehicles (Enforcement Powers) Regulations 2001. More than 200 vehicles were seized in the first two years of the measure,with 108 of these sold or scrapped.
A new deal Impounding was one of many issues covered in A New Deal for Transport, a White Paper published in July 1998 and launched by Deputy Prime Mini ster John Prescott.
Those who had been calling for an early move to 44-tonners were disappointed — it would be considered by the new Commission for Integrated Transport, but could not be implemented before 2003. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) called the White Paper a "lost opportunity" and claimed the sanctioning of 44-tonne vehicles would have led to 9,000 fewer vehicles in use.
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) was more welcoming: "We are pleased the government has accepted our arguments on 40 tonnes for domestic haulage." (CM 23 July 1998) In fact operation at 44 tonnes on six axles was allowed generally by 1 February 2001.
Highlights of A New Deal for Transport included: • 40 tonnes on five axles and 41 tonnes on six axles • Consultation on phasing out domestic drivers' hours in favour of EU rules • Low-sulphur diesel to be .£0.03/lit cheaper than standard diesel to encourage its use • The Highways Agency to become a "network operator" rather than road builder • Local authorities to be empowered to introduce congestion charging • Consultation on extending police powers to stop vehicles • Traffic Area Offices to retain their regional structure • A strategic rail authority to promote rail freight • Rail freight grants to rise by a third An earlier White Paper published that summer also gave rise to controversy. Fairness at Work proposed that union recognition would be automatic if more than 50% of workers in a company were members. Otherwise, workers won the right to recognition if at least 40% voted for it in a ballot.
However, the government exempted firms with fewer than 20 employees, thus angering the Transport & General Workers' Union and its national officer Danny Bryan: "Why should a firm with 19 employees, all of whom are union members, be allowed to deny Fits workers] union recognition?" ( CM 28 May 1998.) The paper did propose other new rights for workers including being able to claim unfair dismissal after one year instead of two and making unlawful the blacklisting of union activists.The proposals became law with the passing of the Employment Relations Act 1999.
Unions were further angered when the Department of Transport (DoT) and the government revealed plans for the emerging Working Time Directive. Minister of State for Transpor Lord Whitty said he wanted truck drivers n have the right to opt out.The DoT added: "W( don't believe they should be denied the righ to work more than 48 hours. If we are able t( secure the opt-out,drivers would still be subjec to the drivers' hours regs."(CM May 1999)
WTD debated
The arguments rumbled on.The RHA pitche( in by saying the economics of the WTD "jus don't add up" and the PTA warned that 50% o its members would need to increase their fleet -Everyone would lose — industry, lorry driver and the public."(CM 31 December 1999) As far as the debate on WTD was concerned happy days were only just beginning. Workinl Time Regulations finally came into forci — with no opt-out for truck drivers — on 4 Apri 2005, two months before Labour won its thin successive election. •