It’s worrying when a Traffic Commissioner (TC) suggests that the minibus industry is a welcoming home to operators that run illegally.
And when she did so, Joan Aitken was not referring to those that hold O-Licences or permits and fail to meet the required standards. She was talking about those with no kind of authorisation at all.
There is a line to be drawn between those two areas of non-compliance. Often – but not always – those in the former sector are aware that they are operating outwith the law. In the latter segment, sheer ignorance can be blamed.
What to do? It is well known that operators running in a non-compliant manner undermine the businesses of those that do comply. The enforcement authorities are charged with investigating illegal operation and TCs are empowered to impose sanctions in those cases.
What is clear is that DVSA is swimming against the current. It is not resourced appropriately by central government and it does not have enough staff. The latter is because comparable jobs in the private sector often pay substantially more, while coming with less potential for conflict.
It’s almost 25 years since the dreadful M40 minibus crash. Much in the industry has changed for the better since then. But a lot remains to be done.
