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French trade associations are demanding that digital tachographs are abandoned and replaced by the old analogue system.

Throughout Europe truck operators are protesting against the inaccuracies of the new system, said Road Haulage Association (RHA) chief executive Roger King at the CV show this week. But it could be years before the EU takes any action.

"This is having a very serious economic effect," says King. "Some long distance truck drivers are losing a day's work as a result."  

As the digital tachograph effectively reduces driving hours, operators can do less work and the economic cost across Europe is going to be very high, the RHA claims.

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) is co-ordinating the campaign across Europe. King said there is also the question of who pays for retrofitting new digital tachographs that accurately measure the hours.

The trade association's director of policy, Jack Semple, is meeting VOSA this week to press it to clamp down on companies practicing illegal cabotage, where it is illegal for overseas hauliers to do regular work or regulation contracts within the UK. He wants VOSA to target investigations to stop illegal cabotage but is concerned that the enforcement agency will not receive any more funding for the work.

The RHA is also very unhappy that new graduated fines targeting overseas hauliers are unlikely to come into force until next year. King said in the next few weeks there would  be some test cases coming before traffic commissioners about VOSA's powers to impound and fine operators breaching cabotage rules.

n The RHA has launched a new logo and a policy document on road pricing. King said the RHA is the only major organisation against road charging, and is calling for new and upgraded roads funded by tolls.