Roadway Update 9 January 2019

RHA says advice from Calais Port boss about no-checks post Brexit – is completely misleading

The Road Haulage Association is rebutting claims by the President of the Port of Calais, Jean-Marc Puissesseau, on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme this morning (09.01.19) that the Port of Calais is Brexit-ready and will not be carrying out any more vehicle checks, post-Brexit, than are already being carried out – apart from those for food, livestock and migrants.

However, he did not explain the complete picture.

Following a meeting at the Port, RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “At our meeting in Calais today Monsieur Puissesseau made it abundantly clear that when a vehicle arrives at Dover, whether destined for Calais, Dunkirk or Coquelles, if the driver is without their pre-customs declarations or without a permit (if it’s a British driver) or a transit document (if delivering to a different country), they will be rejected.

“To complete that initial documentation check could take up to four or five minutes - still a significant delay. If the declaration is not fully completed, the shipping lines will reject the vehicle - it will have to turn away or park up to get the declaration completed.”

But to access that process British businesses will have to complete the right documentation in the first place.

Read the full story on RoadwayLive.

Southmpton scraps CAZ plans

Southampton City Council is dropping plans to charge hauliers with pre-Euro VI trucks £100 per day to enter a clean air zone in the city.

This is good news and after relentless lobbying from the RHA and local members concerned with the crippling costs a charging CAZ would have on their businesses.

This follows a consultation on the plans which yielded 9,000 responses.

Revised plans going before their cabinet this month includes the following:

“HGVs – Offering opportunities for businesses to assess and trial freight consolidation, thereby removing HGV trips in the city, and an accreditation scheme for HGV operators so businesses can identify those operators that are least polluting.”

As we go to press we’ve asked the council for more details on what this will mean for hauliers operating in Southampton.

The local authority will submit its final business case to the Government by the 31 January.

Manston truck trial will need to be repeated

As part of the Operation Brock contingency plan, 89 lorries took part in two test runs from the disused Manston Airport in Kent, on a 20-mile route to the Port of Dover.

The DfT said test went well, and traffic ran smoothly.

Commenting, RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “Of course it’s good to have a plan in place but today’s limited scope trial will need to be repeated to stress-test other aspects of the management of thousands of lorries properly.

“Today’s trial cannot possibly duplicate the reality of 4,000 trucks being held at Manston airport in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

“It’s too little too late – this process should have started 9 months ago. At this late stage it looks like window dressing.”

Read more on RoadwayLive

Also see Richard Burnett discuss the trial on BBC News.

Direct Vision consultation launches

Transport for London began phase 2b consultation on Direct Vision Standards on Tuesday. The phase is due to lasts six weeks, ending 19 February.

Hauliers who operate N3 Class HGV’s (12+tonne) will be affected by these changes. They will need to ensure, under current proposals, they have a Safety Permit from 26 October 2019. These can be applied for, from October 2019.

Those who operate in London with Zero to Three star rated vehicles will need to make modifications and evidence driver training.

The RHA believes TfL is targeting HGVs, because they’re an easy target. By TfL’s own figures, 72% of the HGV fleet working in London will require modification, at substantial cost with virtually zero safety gains.

TfL’s own impact assessment shows that the scheme is a costly and ineffective measure.

RHA members are encouraged to respond to this very short online consultation.

You can let TfL know your views here.

You can also write to TfL at 'freepost TfL consultations' or by email:

Registration for CV Show 2019 is live

Registration for the Commercial Vehicle Show is now live.

The CV Show is the best attended, largest and most comprehensive road transport and commercial vehicle event held in Britain. It attracts close to 21,000 business visitors and its central location at the NEC Birmingham, ensures a truly nationwide attendance.

For operators it’s the annual meeting place and for sector suppliers the ultimate showcase for products and services. And for general visitors with an interest in the industry, it’s a great spectacle and a great day out.

Owned and operated by the Road Haulage Association, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Institute of Road Transport Engineers, it provides truck and van operators with far greater choice than can be found anywhere else in the UK.

You can register for tickets here.