Operator licensing: impact of recession dominates Traffic Commissioners' thinking

A key theme of the Annual Report of the Traffic Commissioners, published last week, is the impact on the goods industry of the recession. Traffic Commissioners highlight several manifestations of this.

• Mandatory requirement for financial standing Traffic Commissioners are seeking to use the discretion allowed them by the Transport Tribunal when considering this mandatory requirement to allow operators appropriate time to produce evidence of financial standing.  However, they also point to the lack of understanding among operators of what is legally required of them to prove that they have access to the specified sum

• Increase in applications made to specify residential properties as operating centres While the law does not preclude this practice, such applications are attracting careful scrutiny in relation to road safety and environmental concerns

• Upsurge in number of transport managers seen at public inquiry where repute is a cause for concern The need for transport managers to 'keep themselves apace of ongoing developments as a key tool in achieving compliance' is highlighted

• Avoiding O licence obligations Traffic Commissioners are taking a closer interest than ever in who is holding and controlling any licence and the business to which it relates