28/12/2011
Category: Truck insurance
Hauliers will welcome the government's Red Tape Review, but safeguards are required to ensure an adequate level of protection, it is claimed.
The Red Tape Review is an initiative designed to reduce large amounts of the bureaucracy that surrounds the transport sector, tackling all the legislation relating to road use.
While many motorists will welcome the reduction in costly legislation, fleet operators and truck insurance customers will find it especially helpful, according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA).
One of the government's recommendations is to scrap the regulation requiring drivers to carry their paper licences at all times, which the FTA claims will save drivers time and money.
Yet the group's director of national and regional policy, Karen Dee, says there must be adequate protection for hauliers, who might unwittingly invalidate their truck insurance if an error is made on the checking of a licence.
She explained: "A lot of commercial vehicle operators check the validity of the drivers they employ from penalty points on their counterpart.
"If this is removed then a robust system is needed that will allow potential employers to gauge clearly and instantly a driver's entitlement to drive."
Another proposal sees the removal of the regulation to renew Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) statements.
Ms Dee explained that for fleet insurance customers, removal of this burden will reduce their administrative and financial pressure.
Earlier this month, the Department for Transport announced that new legislation is to be introduced giving local councils more freedom to amend, replace or remove road signage in their area.
This move particularly targets HGV drivers, as local authorities are keen to reduce instances of lorries blocking highways by travelling down roads that are unsuitable for them.
"I am bringing an end to the ludicrous situation where councils have to come to central government for permission to put up signs they need to use on a regular basis to manage their roads," said transport minister Norman Baker.
Get a specialist business insurance quote from Swinton Commercial.
More news
|
News archive