Improving industry regulation
	FTA has told the DfT that legislation should be amended to allow the exchange of driver and vehicle registration details between EU member states. The rationalisation of vehicle and driver data is one of a series of measures that FTA has fed into a DfT consultation on developing a programme of work to simplify the regulations and administrative processes affecting transport. Sharing driver and vehicle details between EU states would allow for more effective and fairer enforcement of parking regulations, moving traffic offences and non-payment of fines. It would also act as a deterrent and deliver better enforcement of other offences such as speeding and vehicle condition. Other problems and needs highlighted by FTA include: Digital tachographs - the reduction in administrative burden claimed by the European Commission is not clear cut. The imminent consultation to ‘quantify savings’ should assess the full short term and long term impact, including the cost impact on vehicle maintenance providers that occasionally come in scope of tachograph legislation Transport security - there have been clear benefits in integrating bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive and Office of Rail Regulation. These include a more balanced approach to safety and a better understanding of the effect on industry of gold plating legislation. The approach should be extended to transport security to deliver consistency between the various agencies Verification of licence information from DVLA - when paper counterparts to driving licences are abolished, then no charge should be made for employers to access information online from DVLA in the process of verifying licence information required by law that is freely available on the counterpart
	21/09/2006 11:26:11