PROTECTION AND SAFETY
support your UK businesses where the government has failed to do so!
PROTECTION SCREENS….SURELY THEY ARE A GOOD IDEA AND SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED, RIGHT?
In every other walk of life - trains, buses, shops, businesses, council buildings, post offices - yes they are a good idea, and are not only encouraged, they were mandated by government in order to “be Covid safe” before they could open up their businesses to the public again.
But not for our industry, oh no - once again we hit a brick wall of restrictions and impossible requirements!! When questioned and lobbied, the response we got was “TfL has written a policy and many others are copying it.”
So let’s look at this for a second: • must be made from PETg • must be professionally installed • must have a MIRA test at a cost of either £2,600, provided the applicant has been to the vehicle manufacturer first to obtain certification that the aftermarket product is OK with them (good luck with that, as even quoted by MIRA themselves) or £9,500 without that piece of paper!!!
TfL run under a completely different licensing act to anywhere else in the country, so no other local authority should be copying them at all - and MIRA were ONLY testing to TfL local conditions, NOT to any other local authority conditions, so therefore could not be utilised by any other local authority - besides which, they already had a two-month waiting time for the test (which in reality was merely reading two pieces of paper for a fee of over £2000).
But wait, there is more: TfL then departed from their own policy and approved a
plastic screen fitted within ten minutes, simply shoved into the pockets behind the two front seats, so not suitable for any vehicle with seat covers; and then cable tied to the headrests - no MIRA testing involved at all!!!
Yes, we have seen them, they are far from being fit for purpose - but what do we know, right?
SO WHO IS GOING TO THINK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS?
So far there is only the Regulators’ Code of 2014 which offers some kind of protection for drivers, since it places responsibility on local authorities as to how they must operate their duties, such as:- • they must actively engage with those they regulate;
• they must not make decisions based on opinion alone; all decisions must be evidence based;
• they must actively encourage the development and growth of businesses within the region;
• they must not place conditions which are too difficult to achieve.
SURELY THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT IS THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE?
Of course it is!! And we would never for one second underestimate the importance of this. But here is the kicker: the term is “public safety”…
..drivers are members of the public too, not just the passengers, so the drive for safety should include and actively seek to protect the drivers just as much as the passengers.
Take a look at the images, have a read of Terror Times in PHTM, scan through the news articles, you will not have to look far to find an attack on a driver. Some of them are vicious, many of them resulting in injury, harm, damage or loss. Remember
that for each one of those you can find, there are literally hundreds if not thousands that go unreported, or never make the press!!
Why? Either because the drivers know the police won’t turn up, or because if they do turn up, the response will be “nothing we can do since there is no evidence”, or it simply isn’t newsworthy since it is not the driver doing the attacking!! Or because the drivers do not have the time to wait around for the support, or indeed because they are embarrassed about the attack… yes, that happens too!!
FINISHING THOUGHTS?
Times are hard out there, guys and gals; we see little to no support from any authority figures, not even through this terrible Covid pandemic. People have lost money, people are desperate, the attacks on drivers will not go away.
Think of yourselves, think of the unfortunate victims in these photos, protect yourselves, join an association or union to at least get your voice heard and have some representation.
Think about your own safety and protection. If you want to buy PPE face masks, buy them; if you want to install a Covid protection screen, do it, (but make sure it is fit for purpose and not some silly shower curtain as being pushed around by some).
Think about CCTV, minimise the cash you carry, and - above all - be safe; we are with you and will support you all the way.
A UNIFIED TRADE
IS A POWERFUL VOICE! NOW MORE THAN EVER WE NEED TO STAND TOGETHER!!
JOIN THE NPHTA NOW!
0161 280 2800
info@nphta.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2020 69
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