Proposed reforms to the driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) could bring serious safety concerns and devalue the professionalism of the road haulage sector, Logistics UK has warned.
Announced yesterday by the Department for Transport (DfT), the planned changes include reforming training, for example by allowing shorter course modules, and offering drivers the alternative of taking a test instead of completing training.
The changes are intended to address driver shortages by helping former drivers to return to the sector more easily, following industry concerns over the high costs, poor flexibility and extended length of training of the current format.
But Chris Yarsley, senior policy manager – road freight regulation at Logistics UK, has warned that the consultation is “bad news” for haulage operators, as well as drivers, and could have major safety implications.
“Logistics is a highly regulated industry that places the safety of all road users at the heart of its operations and any changes to the driver CPC regime must respect that premise,” he stated.
“Within its own consultation announcement, DfT has said that much of the current industry training relates to issues impacting safety, and that the new, proposed periodic test – which would replace the current 35 hours of periodic training – could result in significantly less training being offered and, therefore, available overall.”
Yarsley added that HGV operation is a challenging, complex role and to reduce the training opportunities for drivers when they need to be operating in line with the safest possible practices is “simply unacceptable and could compromise the vital safety on which much of our industry is based”.
He also noted that the DfT had indicated that the proposals would result in more complexity within the DCPC regime itself, including a two-tier system for domestic and foreign driving qualifications.
If implemented, the reforms will establish a national driver CPC for use in Great Britain and potentially Northern Ireland. The existing regime, the International DCPC, will remain for travel to, from or within the EU and will continue to be recognised for journeys within the UK.
But Logistics UK says the new regime would create confusion for drivers, leading to switching of courses, and therefore increased training time and costs.
Yarsley continued: “The department’s own plan states that these changes have the potential to create higher overheads, ‘which would most likely be borne by drivers of employers in the form of test and possibly training fees’ – an unacceptable burden to place on our members. Logistics businesses have already faced a 12.6% rise in vehicle operating costs, are facing a reduction in energy support and are investing in decarbonisation technologies in line with government targets. Already operating on narrow margins, these businesses cannot continue to absorb yet more rising and unnecessary costs, which would ultimately be passed on to consumers.”
The business group has also warned that any reduction in the professionalism required for the role would be a retrograde step when industry is trying to attract more people into the sector, and would devalue the skilled nature of the work required.
“Our members have never questioned the need for a driver CPC regime, and welcome the reputation which attaining the current standard bestows on their businesses and their drivers.”
In the DfT’s training review carried out in January 2022, Logistics UK called for the flexibility for businesses to deliver the training most suitable to their own drivers to be retained.
“Logistics is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ sector and there are huge advantages to businesses being able to tailor the drivers’ training content to suit their business needs. The proposed periodic test will potentially cover a wide range of issues, some of which might not be relevant to the driver, so could direct attention away from training that matters.
“Logistics UK will be undertaking urgent work with its members to respond to these proposals and identify worthwhile methods to improve, rather than compromise, road safety, while increasing efficiency for businesses and the wider economy.”
The DfT consultation on the driver CPC is open until 11:45pm on 27 April 2023. To have your say, click here.
