FTA Calls for Fairness Regarding Unsafe Vans

In a move that will no doubt be welcomed by the majority of its members – particularly self-employed owner driver operators – the FTA (Freight Transport Association) has called for the Government to charge individual owners of unsafe or unroadworthy vehicles for their non-compliance rather than penalise the entire sector for the unscrupulous actions of a few.

Government Consultation

As it stands currently, UK taxpayers cover the cost of enforcing the compliance of dangerous vehicles on the road, but a recent consultation by the Government proposed that it should instead be charged to van operators in the form of a levy imposed in addition to the regular MOT fees. But while the FTA was in agreement that the cost of enforcement should be transferred directly to the industry and away from the general taxpaying public, they insisted that the so called "enforcement levy" should not be a blanket charge to all drivers, but only be applied to those vehicles that did not pass the MOT on the first application.

Keeping it Fair

The FTA's Head of Licensing Policy and Compliance, James Firth, said that while the transfer of costs to the transport sector is undoubtedly a fair move, many of its law-abiding members are frustrated at the prospect of being penalised for the minority who consistently try to get away with running dangerous, unroadworthy vehicles.

Mr Firth went on to say that the responsibility for compliance lay squarely at the feet of the individual owner driver or transport firm, and that it was unfair to expect the rest of the sector who are doing the right thing to pay for the dishonesty of those who are not.

One Strike Policy

The FTA's suggestion is that the enforcement levy only be applied to non-compliant operators whose vans fail the MOT on the first attempt. With 46.8% of vans in the UK failing the MOT on the first try, they say this would also reduce the instances of drivers using the MOT test as a diagnostic tool rather than implementing a regular and thorough maintenance schedule. Mr Firth condemned that practice, saying: "The MOT test is not intended to highlight areas for improvement, but to ensure that safety standards are being maintained at a continuous level."

Of those alarming failure statistics, it's claimed that the defect issues of many of the vehicles are temporarily fixed in order to get them pass a second test and get them back on the road. However, with no follow-up inspections, it's highly possible they would rapidly deteriorate to a dangerous level.

If the levy was applied only to those requiring a retest on the MOT, the FTA believes it would prompt operators to maintain their vehicles with the aim of a 100% pass rate, first time, every time.

Rewards for Excellence

In their on-going commitment to upholding industry best practice standards, including issues like the abovementioned compliance of vehicle safety, the FTA (in conjunction with some of the country's prominent transport operators) runs the Van Excellence Scheme, which outlines a Code of Practice for the owner driver and larger courier companies. Van operators that adhere to the nationally recognised best practice framework are recognised for their efforts and rewarded with accreditation and awards for their efficiency, compliance and improved safety.

Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day owner driver jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Over 4,000 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.