the knowledge
T
Here we go again!
system could actually exist in a country with such a you are excluded from the process until it is history of acclaimed legislation-making skill. too late. Surely the problem we are trying to solve here is What am I referring to? Two MPs are trying not the issue of how complex, unworkable and frankly to get traction on two Bills in Parliament. One concerns ridiculous and unintelligible we can make crossan advanced version of the NR3 database (a voluntary border hiring but how we can give more powers to register of licence refusals and revocations) and licensing and enforcement officers. another concerns wheelchair accessibility. Both worthy Isn’t the real problem that when a driver and and well-intentioned no doubt. But here we are again as vehicle enter a ‘foreign’ jurisdiction the licensing and Dr Michael Galvin enforcement officers can’t currently do anything with an industry being tail-end Charlies. Where is our Bill? What is it that we want? We them, no more than they could to a van or private https://mobility might want both of these Bills – improved safety and car driver? Shouldn’t the change be made to their serviceslimited improved access can only be good for the industry, powers so that any licensed vehicle comes under their .com can’t it? Well maybe, but it depends on the fine print, jurisdiction no matter where it was licensed? how it is implemented and who is involved in the We can change the law weekly if we like but trying scrutiny of it. to design legislation that can cope with every situation, with The unfortunate truth is that these Bills could end up bad for companies that operate on the borders of their licensed area, where safety, bad for accessibility and bad for the industry – it would not there is a large amount of cross-border traffic for very practical be the first time. The saying “the road to hell is paved with good reasons suggests to me that we are never going to get it right. So, if intentions” wasn’t invented for nothing. Still at least we will all have you can’t solve the problem… change the problem. something to moan about at the next round of trade conferences and SO WHAT DO WE WANT? meetings, so it’s not all bad. The unvarnished truth is that moaning about the law, the WHAT DO WE WANT? ERR… government, the regulator and the weather is lazy policy making. This industry needs to be clear about what it wants, what it doesn’t Complaining about what has happened and what is happening is want and to have the kind of organisation that is well funded enough simple to do. It requires no brainpower, no critical thinking, no to be the ‘go to place’ when someone somewhere has a bright idea. imagination and no research. It is easy. It gets the industry precisely But importantly that organisation needs to be more than that, it nowhere, but hey, some good old-fashioned tub thumping and needs to be championing the industry’s own agenda pro-actively. rabble-rousing gives everyone an adrenalin rush for a few minutes. Horizon-scanning, getting in early when the DfT, the Local After that? Government Association (ALG) or others turn their attention to our Where is the structure in this industry to actually define what industry. Safety and accessibility will no doubt be on that agenda. good looks like? What are the tweaks and changes or maybe the But how can anyone talk seriously about safety when some local transformational and revolutionary change needed to put this councils accept certificates of good conduct in place of DBS checks? industry on its feet, if indeed it is not there already? A quick tweak on a Bill, misery for the industry, no help to those There always appears to be a promised land but maybe we are it was meant to assist and a knighthood are good for who exactly? in it already? Who tracks where we are now? Where we want to be Demonstrators often have a chant: “What do we want?” with a and of course how we can get there? Surveys enquiring whether you response of “more money”, “Tories out” or similar. If our industry work too hard, pay too much tax, or want your hair to grow again are had a demonstration, I fear after we shouted with gusto “what do we not research. They are email address-gathering exercises. want?” there might be a deafening silence! The hard, gruelling and tough sessions needed to define an industry’s current CROSS-BORDER HIRING pain, future prospects and the strategies Cross-border hiring is also, once again, needed to realise them take hard work, in the news. The ALG feels that the independent thought, money and issue won’t be resolved until there is compromise. While we sit and moan like new legislation. Really? What was the beached whales about what has happened Deregulation Act 2015 then? 2015 is and what is happening, the industry will hardly a lifetime away, is it? never reach nor maintain its zenith. I saw the Deregulation Bill as a solid Instead, smarter, better funded attempt to deal with the Heath Robinson organisations will race forward, collection of case law that sought resolve deservedly so, and where obstacles the lacuna of cross border hiring. Before exist they will work hard to remove, the Deregulation Act, I vividly remember negate or in some cases ignore them. presenting a diagram at an international The passengers should really be in the conference and explaining to an back of everyone’s cars not directing audience who were variously in hysterics, bewildered or disbelieving that such a them. he problem with being reactive is that
“The unvarnished truth is that moaning about the law, the government, the regulator and the weather is lazy policy making. Complaining about what has happened and what is happening is simple to do....”
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