Jan/Feb 2004

Commonsense could prevail in the ongoing saga of the implementation of digital tachographs.

In theory all new lorries registered from 5 August 2004 must be fitted with a digital tachograph; yet as reported in recent issues of m.logistics, no unit has yet been type-approved by the EU - which means, as the UK's Freight Transport Association puts it, that the implementation timetable is in effect "impossible".

Until lately the EU was proposing a kind of "gentleman's agreement" on non-enforcement, to apply until approved instruments were available; but FTA policy director James Hookham complained: "This is not the way to enforce and manage important safety legislation."

He added: "Unfortunately there are plenty of precedents of legislation being tested in court, at members' expense."

 

Now it looks as though the EU agrees. As m.logistics closed for press, it emerged that it the EU had finally bowed to pressure to "consult" with interested parties internationally over a realistic introduction date.

It's not clear yet what the result will be, but the FTA has been saying says mandatory fitment should only apply once a choice of suppliers has emerged - something that will only happen with time. There are currently three main contenders in the UK market - Actia, Siemens VDO and Stoneridge Electronics - but none has yet taken its products right through the necessary testing and type approval process.

The organisation is quite explicit in what it wants: agreement from the Department for Transport that the use of analogue tachographs should continue to be accepted formally beyond the 5 August deadline "as the means of recording drivers hours in vehicles first registered after that date."

Hookham concludes: "The best solution would be for DfT simply not to pass the enabling legislation for the new regulations until all digital tachograph equipment is available. While this may leave DfT technically in breach of EU legislation, the buck has to stop somewhere."

The new consultation process should mean that this won't happen.