It’s been a busy month so far for the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) President Ian Luckett
November is normally a quiet month for coach operators. The season is truly over and there is still a bit of a slog before a Christmas, but it is a very busy time for the CPT President.
The role of President means I have the privilege of being invited by CPT regions to their meetings, which also allows me the opportunity to tie in visits to CPT members in those areas. I started the month with an ‘Evening with the Traffic Commissioner’ event in Newmarket, not an area I get to visit very much, so it was great to pop in to see some members in that area, while also getting a chance to listen to Senior Traffic Commissioner, Richard Turfitt. These events are really popular with members and it was no surprise that this was a full house, as was the Salisbury meeting which Kevin Rooney had attended.
A CPT benefit
Richard Turfitt stressed that the Traffic Commissioners (TCs) are keen to help operators improve all aspects of the operations – they are not looking to catch anyone out – and it is a testament to the work of CPT to hear that the TCs are keen to work closely with CPT to maintain and improve on compliance. Having this access to the TCs is yet another benefit of your membership of CPT.
A representative from DVSA also attends these gatherings and an operations update from CPT is also a key part of the evening. It is very useful to hear first-hand what is on the minds of the TCs, and DVSA.
There was much discussion around vehicle testing slots at both events, and an acknowledgement from both the TCs and DVSA that improvements were needed. DVSA are implementing measures to help alleviate the situation.
I also had the honour of being invited to the CPT Scotland Conference, held this year at the Trump Turnberry resort in Ayrshire. The hotel is fantastic with one of the best golf courses in the world. The conference was equally impressive, very ably chaired by Scottish CPT Chair, Sandra Whitelaw, with thought provoking speakers, and a keynote speech from Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport and Islands in the Scottish Government. There are obviously many challenges facing both the Scottish Government and the industry in Scotland, but there is definitely a sound understanding on both sides that working in partnership is the only way to make any progress.
The digital future
More recently I was in Warwick for the annual CPT Coaching Conference where this year the theme was ‘Embracing the digital world’. It was certainly for a thought-provoking day which looked at the ways our industry was affected by the ever-present digital economy. In my view, we simply have to embrace this new way of working and the opportunities it provides for us. I am sure I have said it before but the march of technology is quite alarming.
I was reminded of the fascinating presentation by Will Whitehorn, Deputy Chair of Stagecoach, at the CPT Scottish Conference. He gave us all a glimpse into what may be the future. In fact, it seemed very futuristic indeed. But it is sobering to think that the last time he presented to the conference was over 10 years ago when he had predicted that one day we would all be using a device the size of a cigarette pack to not only talk, but do our emails, do our shopping and book our travel tickets. And then of course along came the iPhone. Perhaps the hyper-loop from London to Edinburgh in 45 minutes may not be so far-fetched after all.
