The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is calling on the DVSA to review the delivery of Driver CPC (DCPC) as part of EU-mandated changes to the legislation, which saw its first major amendments introduced on 23 May.
These changes, which must be made in domestic law within the next two years, are the first steps to amend DCPC legislation which must be completed by 2020.
Under the government’s approach to Brexit, all European law in operation on 23 March 2019 will be adopted into domestic legislation. European law says changes to DCPC will be implemented after 23 May 2020. The UK government has given no indication that the DCPC will be scrapped after Brexit.
The DVSA should be looking at “all elements of the qualification and methods of implementation to ensure that they are fit for purpose” – opportunities to tighten or amend legislation “do not come around every day,” says the FTA.
Adds FTA Regulation Head James Firth: “FTA has already made huge efforts to preserve the flexibility in DCPC training to ensure it is tailored to the specific needs of drivers and operators.”
“FTA proposed that DVSA undertook a thorough review of DCPC implementation in 2013 but was told that a review would have to wait until the expected review of the EU Directive,” says Mr Firth.
Comments the CPT: “Following an awful lot of work taking place behind the scenes in Europe over the last couple of years, CPT welcomes the package of measures introduced in the new legislation.
“We look forward to working with DVSA, Government and our members to help introduce these measures in the UK.”
