My Lords, it is a pleasure once again to address your Lordships’ Committee following a long absence. I have, however, kept fairly well abreast of what has been going on here while I have been away.
What I would like to know is this: because many drivers of HCVs come from Europe, how many have registered for the visas which allow them to work in this country? This is not strictly relevant to this SI but it is important in the context of the amount of traffic which is likely to need regulation under this order. If drivers from the continent are not coming here, it is unlikely that many of these provisions will be needed anyway.
I would also like to know what the effect has been on the volume of traffic passing through the channel ports which would in fact amount to pressure on the roads in Kent. The information available to us suggests that there are a lot fewer drivers from the continent coming here, so that should manifest in there being less flow through Kent.
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I should also like to know whether, in light of the pressure on HCVs generally, anything has happened with extra traffic coming by rail through the Channel Tunnel. This is not strictly relevant to this order. None the less, it affects the amount of traffic on the roads—sadly, I am unaware of anything having been done.
Lastly, although this is again not relevant to this order, I want to raise the appalling state of the working conditions of many drivers of heavy commercial vehicles. They contrast most unfavourably with those on the continent. The Government announced that they were going to look at improving the lot of the HCV driver. Unless they make the conditions of work for these drivers better, they are going to score no points at all for what they are doing. This is particularly so for women drivers, whom they are hoping to attract to the profession.
I have no objection to these proposals, but I think the Minister should address these issues if we are to get our traffic with the continent on to a firm footing. I will take the opportunity of raising this in other communications.