UKIP courts disgruntled hauliers with Driver CPC pledge

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) has pledged its intention to scrap the Driver CPC should it come to power next year, describing the scheme as “another reason why we do not need, or want, to be part of the EU.”

Speaking at the recent party conference in Doncaster, transport spokesperson Jill Seymour, who is also a UKIP MEP for the West Midlands region, referred to her colleagues in the European Parliament as “our crazy, meddling friends” – whom she claimed had imposed “a menace” on the UK’s professional truck drivers in the form of the “expensive, over-complicated” Driver CPC.

“It is causing many truck and bus drivers to either lose their jobs, or take early retirement,” said Seymour. “The result is a shortage of registered drivers in an industry which is battling hard to get itself back on its feet.

“[The industry] is being kicked in the teeth by the EU, which always thinks it knows what’s best for Britain. Hard-working people should not be losing their livelihoods – we see no need for drivers to undertake this unnecessary and expensive course.

“Our traditional driver training course, which has been in place for many years, is a proven system which has served us well. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it – that’s what we say.”

Other transport policies being proposed by UKIP include a port-of-entry charge – “which would apply to every foreign-registered vehicle entering the UK,” Seymour said – although it was not clear whether such a policy would replace the existing road user levy designed to bill foreign HGVs for use of UK roads, or be enforced in addition.

Said Seymour: “There has been an increase in foreign-registered vehicles on the UK roads, where some skip safety checks, or escape fines.

“I believe we should have a record of every vehicle using our roads, where they should all contribute to the upkeep and maintenance of our road network.

“That’s where a new innovation we’re calling the ‘Brit Disc’ comes in. Proof of payment would have to be displayed on a Brit Disc for every foreign-registered vehicle entering the UK.

“The disc would be a time-sensitive document displayed on the inside of the windscreen.

“Several other countries already use this system with great success.. Let’s face it, countries on the other side of the Channel are quick enough to start taking money off our hauliers and car owners.”

The party also pledged to block the introduction of any new toll roads, and to work towards removing existing ones.

“Putting road tolls on top of the fuel tax, excise duty and VAT which we already pay, is simply wrong,” Seymour added.

UKIP activists have additionally been vocal advocates of scrapping the London congestion charge; and last month, Howard Cox, founder of the FairFuelUK campaign, pointed out that the party was also: “the only party calling for a duty cut for growth in their manifesto, following our lobbying.”

He added: “The London-centric closeted politicians, together with the London-centric national media, are clueless in understanding this massive silent majority who predominantly have no choice but to use four wheels for their everyday working lives.”

An outright UKIP victory in the general election next May is virtually mathematically impossible. But a persistent lack of a resounding lead in the polls by either Labour or the Conservatives, combined with a growing support for the Eurosceptic party, means that even with a handful of MPs it could find itself in coalition-forming territory in the event of another hung parliament – and thus potentially in a position to negotiate some of its transport policies into fruition.

Last month saw the first election to Parliament of a UKIP MP, Douglas Carswell, who won a by-election in the Clacton constituency, having defected from the Conservatives and resigned his seat. As Transport Operator’s November/December edition went to press, UKIP was leading in the polls for another by-election on 20 November, triggered by the defection to UKIP of Mark Reckless, MP for Rochester and Strood.

Photo by Ian Roberts, used under Creative Commons licence