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Stricter enforcement of the working time regulations could be on the cards to guard against operators abusing the system.

Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman says that so far Vosa has enforced these regulations with a "light touch".

But as the planned review of the Working Time Directive, involving government, industry and union representatives, gets under way he hints that this could change.

In November, the Road Haulage  Forum also discussed the use and interpretation of periods of availability. This will be a major focus of the forthcoming review, along with the treatment of leave and the exemption from the rules for 'occasional mobile workers'.

The subject of truck parking and driver rest facilities was also on the agenda at the forum meeting: Ron Webb from the T&G and URTU's Robert Monks highlighted the industry's perception that the government was not serious about financing better truck parking.

However, Ladyman says that the onus is on the employers, rather than the government, to finance these facilities. He adds that he is still keen to hear proposals on lorry parking from operators of motorway service areas.

Driver training was also discussed by the forum. Roger King,  chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, questioned whether the UK driver training industry has the capacity to deliver the continuous training demanded by the new regulations.

He warned that many operators will inevitably leave this training until the last minute.

King said the minister's comment about tightening up on operator abuse was "reasonably significant", adding: "There is a feeling among RHA members that there should be attempts to make sure everyone is trying to comply with the spirit of the directive, rather than some operators paying lip service to it."