“FTA members who operate vehicles affected by the proposed O-licence changes are happy with putting these vehicles onto their licences, therefore impacting factors like proving a larger financial standing and applying the same inspection and maintenance regime – many already do this voluntarily as best practice.  What worries them is that when they have to apply for an increase in authorisation or a new operating centre, they are subjected to a forensic level of scrutiny of their operations by Traffic Commissioners, even when they have a good history of compliance.”

In its submission to the Triennial Review of the Traffic Commissioners, FTA stated:

“The Traffic Commissioners are effective quasi-judicial regulators with a key role in regulating non-compliant operators, however it must be considered whether this forensic approach is appropriate for all aspects of operator licensing.  Traffic Commissioners’ attention should be focussed on cases, applications and variations where grounds exist to doubt the reputation of the operator to hold the licence.”

Background to consultation

1.  The Department for Transport launched parallel consultations before Christmas looking at reviewing some of the existing exemptions from operator licensing and testing respectively.

2.  The operator licensing consultation proposed removing the existing exemptions for:

• volumetric mixers;
• showman’s vehicles;
• recovery/breakdown vehicles;
• mobile cranes;
• electric vehicles.

3.  The testing consultation proposed removing the existing exemptions for:

• mobile cranes;
• breakdown vehicles;
• engineering plant and plant, not being engineering plant, which is movable plant or equipment being a motor vehicle or trailer (not constructed primarily to carry a load) especially designed and constructed for the special purposes of engineering operations;
• trailers being drying or mixing plant designed for the production of asphalt or of bituminous or tarmacadam;
• tower wagons;
• road construction vehicles (though it is not proposed to remove the exemption for road rollers and other specialised equipment used in the road construction process);
• electrically propelled motor vehicles.
• vehicles constructed or adapted for, and used primarily for the purpose of, medical, dental, veterinary, health, educational, display, clerical or experimental laboratory services;
• vehicles having a base or centre in any of the following islands, namely, Arran, Bute, Great Cumbrae, Islay, Mull, Tiree or North Uist from which use of the vehicle on a journey is normally commenced. (Modify to comply with new EU Directive);
• tractor units pulling exempt trailers.

Source: FTA