The response from the Community Transport Association (CTA) about the Department for Transport’s consultation on the use of Section 19 and 22 permits for road passenger transport (goo.gl/f41JcB) is 39 pages of absolute nonsense.
It achieves nothing and only expresses their fairy tale ideas of the law and how it should be interpreted.
Here’s where the problem lies. Firstly, the CTA and the government disputed the figures on the size of the problem, and now it’s the opposite.
Is it a minor impact? Ask the local authorities that have committed themselves to a cheaper alternative and now find themselves without commercial operators to cover the contracts. You only have to tender to stop these organisations receiving any.
The Transport Select Committee enquiry, they stated, were better than the professionals, but finds it so difficult to become professionals and accept the interpretation of the law –
like we have to.
Then you have the Chair of the Select Committee part of a forum – where’s the impartialness? Then she asked the Minister to come up with another interpretation of non-commercial.
I wonder if my tax and VAT inspectors would accept whatever they come up with. I am very excited of paying no tax and VAT and so would many operators. We’re also waiting for their alternative legal opinion on the regulations and legislation.
The response must have cost a fortune. Having said that, it’s come from the public purse, so it doesn’t matter. It’s never bothered them before.
It’s difficult to apply for a commercial O-Licence when you have been in receipt of public funds, it just another obstacle they have to navigate round.
Isn’t it difficult to achieve a level playing field?
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