Be prepared for transport changes

4 January 2018

That’s the message of the latest transport update from Bob Sands, transport and compliance manager for Prompt Services, who provide BMF’s Transport Plus service.  

Transport managers and O-Licence holders should be aware that DVSA traffic examiners are going to be given new powers to issue on-the-spot fines for any drivers’ hours offences committed in the previous 28 days.   

While the date for the introduction of this new directive is still to be announced, since 1 November 2017, traffic examiners have been able to issue fines for up to 5 drivers’ hours offences in a single check. It means they could be fined up to £1,500 in a single check.  

The impact of the new rules will be more pronounced when the power to punish historic offences comes into force. If stopped, drivers may be issued with a fixed penalty fine for offences in the previous 28 days, up to a maximum of five offences.  

The new rules are designed to improve safety and will primarily impact those who don’t take sufficient rest breaks, and endanger others.  According to RoSPA, driving while tired may be responsible for 1 in 5 of all accidents, and about 40% of sleep-related accidents involve commercial vehicles.     

Driver CPC – training countdown

The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification lasts for five years and requires drivers to undertake 35 hours of periodic training during that time if it is to be renewed. Many drivers, particularly those who entered the scheme with ‘acquired rights’, now have less than two years to do this as the full training block must be completed by 9 September 2019.   

If they have not already done so, transport managers should put plans in place to ensure their drivers have sufficient time to complete their CPC training without a last minute rush.     

Prepare for Clean Air

Anyone driving in London should be aware of the T-Charge Zone, which came into force on 23 October 2017.  Vehicles that do not meet the Euro 4/IV emission standard, or above, must pay the £10 daily charge if they enter the Zone between 07:00 and 18:00 Monday to Friday.  The T-Charge is additional to the existing Congestion Charge.  

Transport for London (TfL) has also brought forward plans for a new Ultra Low Emission Zone. This will now come into force on 8 April 2019 and will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within the same area as the current Congestion Charging Zone.  The emission standard for this zone will be tougher for diesel cars and vans and for HGVs, which will have to meet Euro 6/VI as a minimum.  Non-compliant cars and vans will pay a £12.50 charge – on top of the T-Charge and Congestion Charge – while lorries exceeding 3,500kg GVW will have to pay £100 a day.  

Changes are also planned in other cities as the Government has not brought air pollution to within legal limits and has lost court cases over diesel emissions. Clean Air  Zones (CAZ) are proposed with Leeds, Derby, Nottingham, Birmingham and Southampton the first in line.  Ministers have decided to make charging the option of last resort, and the local councils have until April 2018 to devise their plan.  The CAZs are due to come into force by the end of 2019, but how they will be implemented, which vehicles are affected and Zone boundaries remain unclear.  

While the BMF supports moves on clean air it is concerned that controlling access to cities, or setting entry charges will hamper the deliveries to customers. The BMF has called on ministers to support merchants by providing incentives to modernise vehicles.  In particular, it wants to see a diesel scrappage scheme to help SMEs replace older lorries, trucks and vans.  

Direct Vison Standard

Finally, as part of a consultation process, TfL has released interim direct vision star ratings as part of the development of its proposed Direct Vision Standard (DVS). This will categorise HGVs depending on the level of a driver's direct vision from a cab, giving them a zero to five- star rating.

If approved the proposals will require all HGVs over 12 tonnes to hold a safety permit to enter or operate in London from 2020. Those rated 'one star' and above would automatically be granted a permit, while those rated 'zero star' (lowest) would have to include specific recognised safety systems, such as sensors, visual warnings and comprehensive driver training, before a permit is granted.  Be warned, however, only those vehicles rated 'three-star' and above, or which have comprehensive safety systems, are likely to be able to operate in London from 2024.

If you would like to book a FREE transport health check, or to find out more about how BMF Transport Plus could benefit your business, please contact Prompt Training at [email protected] or 01773 850428, quoting your BMF membership number.  


This article first appeared in the December 2017 issue of BMJ


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