My Lords, I thank the Minister for his explanation of the purpose and effect of the SI, which updates existing provisions in primary and secondary legislation to comply with EU Regulation 165/2014 on tachographs, which comes into effect from the beginning of next month. The EU regulation increases the requirements on member states for the audit and quality control processes for tachograph calibration centres. In light of the existing quality control processes that are already in place in the UK, the regulation would appear to require very little practical change in that regard.
We welcome the fact that operators who have made significant investment in establishing their own tachograph centres will not be barred under this regulation from testing their own vehicles. However, in that regard it appears—I am sure that the Minister will put me right if I am wrong—that the Department for Transport’s recent Motoring Services Strategy, which suggested examining possibilities for the delivery of the HGV annual test, including examination of the test by individuals in the private sector, appeared to contemplate this kind of constraint, which has been avoided in
these regulations. Can the Minister give an assurance that discussions regarding the delivery of the HGV annual test in the future will be full and open, with nothing ruled out at this early stage?
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The Minister in his opening comments made reference to smart tachographs and the change that they would bring to the current system. However, of course at present we still have the system without smart tachographs. Although there is little evidence of falsification in the tachograph calibration market in the UK, the Road Haulage Association has recognised the falsification of tachograph records as the most significant offence within the industry, with enforcement agencies unable to track rest stops, and any threat of sanction is, frankly, woefully weak. In that regard, if the Minister has the information available, can he say whether the number of such offences—that is, in relation to the falsification of tachograph records—is going up or down at present or simply remaining at much the same level?
The Minister made reference to drivers’ hours; I will say something on that issue, because the regulation also extends exemptions from drivers’ hours rules from 50 kilometres to 100 kilometres. As far as I am aware, that is not required—as opposed to being permitted—by the EU regulation which gives rise to this SI. The Government say in their Explanatory Memorandum that this SI will improve road safety by ensuring that drivers’ working hours are not excessive. I think I am right in saying that in 2013, fatigue was listed as a contributory factor in some 95 accidents which involved heavy goods vehicles. I therefore simply ask, how will doubling the radial base for exemptions improve road safety, and on the basis of what evidence on the impact of this change on road safety have the Government decided to go down this road? I think the Minister in his opening comments made reference to the fact that it would not have any impact on drivers’ hours; I would be grateful if he could explain why that conclusion has been reached, bearing in mind that it provides for the extension to which I have referred. We do not intend to oppose the SI in this House but we are concerned about the impact of the changes which affect drivers’ hours rules.