News

The government has dropped plans to create a board of Traffic Commissioners (TCs) to oversee O-licensing, but has given the go-ahead to local road pricing schemes. In the Queen's Speech last week, the government outlined the Local Transport Bill. Initial drafts had included a change from the current TC system to one in which a 'board of TCs' would operate on fixed-term contracts, as well as plans to create standards for local road pricing schemes. The bill outlined by the Queen did not incorporate  those ideas but included plans to force local authorities to consider freight rather than just passenger movements.

James Firth, regional policy manager for Northern England at the Freight Transport Association (FTA), says: "We are particularly pleased that local authorities will be required to consider freight movements and the Passenger Transport Authorities will be renamed Integrated Transport Authorities - that might help remind them that it's not just passengers they are concerned about." Firth says the FTA was hoping for the standardisation of road pricing schemes, "but it seems the Department for Transport will only step in if it thinks standardisation is necessary - which suggests that Manchester [which is pressing ahead with a road pricing scheme] could dictate what happens elsewhere".

The FTA's call for CVs to be excluded from road pricing schemes does not appear to have been included in the primary legislation, Firth says.  However he adds: "We are very pleased the idea of having a board of TCs on fixed-term contracts has not been taken forward." The Road Haulage Association (RHA) agrees that the government's decision not to include this plan in the bill is a welcome development. Director of policy Jack Semple says: "We are keen for their independence to be retained."

He adds that the RHA is glad freight will now be aligned with other transport planning through the Integrated Transport Authorities. However on the issue of road pricing, Semple says he is disappointed that freight has not been given an exemption, adding the RHA would continue to campaign for this to happen.