Regarding Wish Travel’s lost appeal for exemption from the Driver CPC (DCPC).
At last, someone understands the law. It was made to look complicated by various bodies and associations, but the appeal judge saw through all the fudging and flexing of the rules and got to the crux of the matter.
Does that law not apply to the same argument that has been campaigned by the Bus and Coach Association, that all drivers of vehicles with over eight passenger seats and used for hire or reward have to hold a DCPC?
We must ask ourselves why the authorities have made the system a two-tier one by allowing all community transport operators, taxi companies and private schools to take on contracts and perform private hire work for hire or reward, then transport those clients with drivers without the correct licence or DCPC?
Is there one system for certain sectors of the transport industry and another for the others? I sincerely hope not.
So why are the police not stopping these law-breaking drivers, and why are the DVSA not doing spot checks?
The DfT have made it clear (as if it wasn’t already) on what hire or reward is, but still no enforcement agency wants to rock the boat.
I appreciate that the austerity measures have caused massive cuts in funding to these departments, but we can’t have laws to implement, then turn a blind eye because of funding.
If it’s put off any longer, it will be very difficult for the industry to have any faith in what we all believed was a fair law enforcing system.
Cut price contracts, laws being broken to get them completed within the funding budget – I’m sure this is not what the voters want.
Tony Hill, London
