Policy Campaign Highlight - May 2023

LOGISTICS UK RESPONDS TO DRIVER CPC CONSULTATION

Logistics UK continues to represent members on important policy areas, including most recently where the business group responded to the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence consultation, which contained several proposals to reform the training legislation, now that the UK has left the EU and has the right to adapt the rules that were retained from time of EU membership.

In general, Logistics UK welcomed the opportunity to introduce some flexibility into the training legislation that would respond to long-held industry asks over, for example, the rigidity of the seven-hour blocks of training, and the requirement for any split courses to be held within a 24-hour period. There will also be a move to enforcement from the electronic record and not from the requirement for the driver to carry a Driver Qualification Card with them at all times.

These changes, if passed into domestic law, have the potential of rendering a new ‘national DCPC’ as no longer valid for driving in the EU so the provisions also allow for the continuation of the current system, named the International DCPC (I-DCPC). Northern Ireland will continue to adhere to the current legislation in any case, unless its Assembly decides to follow the new GB ‘national DCPC’ model. The Department for Transport (DfT) was advised of possible unintended consequences of this divergence from EU legislation and the ability of GB operators to access training that would allow for operations in the EU.

Logistics UK strongly disagreed with one proposal to introduce the ability for existing DCPC holders to sit a one-hour exam, in place of all mandatory periodic training, in order to renew their 5-year driving entitlement. This proposal would remove the requirement for training to be undertaken and members fear that this relaxation could be abused in future, leading to road safety concerns as mandatory training is bypassed in favour of the test. The DfT was urged to drop this proposal from its plans.

Logistics UK members have discussed the business group’s policy position on Driver CPC over many years through the Freight Council process and participated in a government-led review during January 2022, and subsequently submitted its response ahead of the 27 April deadline.

Logistics UK looks forward to seeing the government response in due course and, in the meantime, will continue to engage with members and stakeholders on wider policy topics.

Published On: 11/05/2023 16:00:02

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