FROM THE OFFICE OF
WWW.EXPORTANDFREIGHT.COM
John Martin RHA Policy Manager for Northern Ireland.
A WELL-KNOWN FACE IN A VERY DIFFERENT ROLE Some of you will know I’ve recently taken up post with the Road Haulage Association as their Policy Manager for Northern Ireland and I thought this would be a good way to introduce myself to the readers of Export and Freight! So, what do I bring to the table for RHA members within the province? I’m from Northern Ireland and am based in Co Down. I’ve spent an entire career working in the transport sector serving my time and qualifying as a motor vehicle technician on fleet maintenance including HGVs and trailers. For those of you old enough to remember Leyland being a key goods vehicle manufacturer I worked on models including Albion, AEC, Lynx, Marathon and Buffalo, Bedford TK and TM models and Seddon Atkinson 400 series. My father was a fleet maintenance manager and my grandfather and uncle operated a fleet of HGVs - so road transport is part of my DNA. How have I earned the right to speak with credibility about the transport sector? I was placed 1st in the Institute of Motor Industry Management examinations within Northern Ireland and 1st in the UK in the City & Guilds legal aspects on transport. I hold a C + E (Class 1) drivers licence and have worked as a vehicle and driving examiner and test centre manager within the Driver & Vehicle Agency, the Department of Infrastructure’s Chief Enforcement Officer for road transport, Enforcement & Compliance Policy/ Strategy Manager, Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Operator Licensing and the Deputy Head and Head of the Transport Regulation Unit dealing with licensing and compliance issues, hearings and Public Inquiries. I’ve also considerable experience in dealing with legislative and policy
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issues within the Department and in liaison with the Department for Transport in London and with the European Commission. Given my background and breadth of experience I’m confident I can take the RHA forward within NI and represent the views of its members across all government Departments and Agencies. However, enough about me…
Essential Message Why the sector must be heard: Given the critical role the transport sector plays in every aspect of everyday life it’s essential this message is continually promoted, and I believe that the normal person on the street or the average policy maker doesn’t appreciate that without trucks everything stops. Without food deliveries we starve. Without fuel deliveries we can’t drive, fly, sail, heat ourselves in winter or move building materials. That means no new houses, shops, factories, schools or hospitals. Trucks are the lifeblood of the country and we all have a responsibility to ensure this message is relayed to both the general public and the key policy makers within local, devolved (If it’s sitting!) and central Government. The RHA run the National Lorry Week 16 – 22 September 2019 to keep the importance of the sector in the public’s eye and to ensure that politicians from all sides of the house understand the importance of the work you all do. This is a critical period for the sector
with the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the ever increasing shortage of drivers and unfair competition within many supply chains. We are now faced with the possibility of the use of GB Traffic Commissioners within NI to facilitate Hearings and Public Inquiries and we are entering the next phase of the Truck Cartel claim. It’s becoming more difficult to make the deliveries the clients need because our members face inadequate road maintenance and increased pressure from Government on environmental issues such as the proliferation of Low Emission Zones. It is therefore imperative local transport operators have effective and informed local representation to ensure their issues and concerns are dealt with effectively.
Going forward I’m currently getting up to speed on the issues that we need to focus on going forward and in particular Brexit. By the time this is published I hope to have met with the Department of Infrastructure’s Freight Policy Unit and the Transport Regulation Unit to discuss Brexit proposals including ECMT permits provision and how NI Haulier’s are losing out through the lottery of allocation. I will also be having difficult conversations in discussing delays within the TRU, and in particular how the delays in new applications and variation applications are impacting on operator’s abilities to start trading or
expanding to meet market needs.
Other Concerns Our members have already raised a number of other concerns and been able to give their first-hand experience regarding the supply of drivers, driving licence issues, enforcement and also ADR/ Hazchem provisions. I’ve already taken steps to raise most of these issues with the relevant agencies and meetings are scheduled. I’ve also written to all the main political parties within the province and arranged mtgs to discuss the role that they should play in order to support the sector better. Truth be told I’ve actually written to every holder of a goods vehicle operator’s licence within NI in order to introduce myself as the RHA policy manager and it is my intention to get around to seeing every RHA member in as soon as practically possible. It is also on my “to do” list to hold a series of local briefings to discuss issues of concern and to advise members on solutions. Although I will act for the good of the industry in general, I would emphasise I can only represent members of the Association. I would therefore encourage all holders of a goods vehicle operator’s license or anyone associated with the sector who feel they would benefit from membership to contact me directly or visit the RHA website for more details.
