Logistic UK Transport Managers Conference

John Martin, RHA Policy Manager for Northern Ireland

LOGISTICS UK TRANSPORT MANAGERS ANNUAL CONFERENCE RETURNS TO BELFAST

The Culloden Hotel outside Belfast was the venue for the recent Logistics UK Transport Managers Conference. Always a popular annual event, it provided managers with the latest information and guidance on industry legislation to help manage safety and compliance.

The Belfast conference was an ‘in person’ event, but for those around the UK who couldn’t make it, Logistics UK staged a virtual version on the 11th of November. First held during the height of the pandemic in 2020, and again last year alongside in-person events, the virtual one-day conference followed a similar format to the in-person events. Kate Jennings, Logistics UK’s Director of Policy, said: “In such a challenging and ever-changing sector, it is vital that transport managers stay up to date with the latest compliance and regulatory information, and Logistics UK’s Transport Manager conferences are well established in the industry as a great place to obtain all the necessary briefings. We appreciate that it is not always possible to travel to an in-person event, whether due to location, time or business pressures, but it is still important to ensure that transport managers keep their knowledge and expertise up to date. As with the in-person events, Virtual Transport Manager 2022 provided all the briefing information they need.” The well attended Belfast conference followed the same programme that was presented nationally and included a compliance update, and sessions on vehicle in-service standards, managing safety technology, driving down the cost of fleet insurance, technology and the balance of risk, and preparing fleets for electrification. The keynote speaker was David Mullan, Head of the Transport Regulation Unit for Northern Ireland, who outlined his priorities for the year ahead to help operators stay compliant. He also outlined the latest action taken on operators at Public Inquiries, while representatives from the DVA revealed what the department has been finding at the roadside and what it is focussing on, and changing, in the year ahead, such as amendments to standards, enforcement of new laws, familiar problems that still need attention, and new ones on the horizon. Sponsors Brigade Electronics, meanwhile, explored how operators can manage vehicle safety technology to support driver training, provide data in the event of an incident, mitigate risk, reduce insurance premiums and meet compliance such as DVS. And against the backdrop of an ever-changing insurance market, bronze sponsor WTW and Weightmans provided an overview of what fleet underwriters are currently looking for when rating motor fleet risks. This session examined the importance of technology, how you can use data more effectively, plus other measures you can consider to improve your risk profile.

Another part of the programme focused on the balancing act between enhanced vehicle technology, improving road safety and the policy considerations around the impact this equipment has on the individual driver as well as the organisation. It considered the risks posed by vehicle technology and the steps organisations must take to ensure that they are protected from a criminal and regulatory perspective in the event of a driver being involved in a collision.