REGULATORY REFORM Ӏ EUROPE FOCUS


hire which falls outside the scope of the current legislation,” says Sutch. “Moreover, we take great care to ensure compliance with axle weights and other relevant dimensions outlined in the application process.”


INCONSISTENT INTERPRETATION “One of the major challenges we are encountering is the inconsistency between councils and police forces regarding the interpretation and enforcement of these regulations,” Sutch continues. “This lack of uniformity not only adds to our operational burden but also leads to financial losses. “Additionally, the fact that applications are often handled by individual personnel within the organisation exposes us to subjective decision-making processes, which can further exacerbate the situation.” Sutch is not alone in


experiencing these operational restrictions. “We are hearing that crane operators and hauliers moving abnormal sized loads are pulling out of the market because embargoes on travel between certain hours are making jobs impossible, financially unviable, or having seriously negative impacts on workforces,” confirms Richard Beresford, chief executive of the UK’s National Federation of Builders (NFB).


Things came to a head in


England and Wales over Easter when some UK crane hire companies were forced to shut at least four days because police effectively banned them from the roads. Across much of the UK mobile


cranes are no longer allowed on the roads between 7am and 9am in the morning and between 4pm and 6pm in the afternoon. In London restrictions are even stricter with the Met Police banning all mobile


cranes, even small two-axle ones, from the city between 6am and 10am in the mornings on weekdays and between 3.30pm and 8pm in the evenings. And at the weekend, and bank holidays, cranes are not allowed to move in London between 10.30am and 8pm. As anyone who works in the industry knows, however, the need for a crane does not always occur at a time that suits the police!


SOLUTION FINDING So what’s the solution? A good place to start would be by looking to the examples set by crane and transport trade associations around the world that are well used to fighting their corner. The problem with the UK’s


restrictive regulations has clear parallels with many of the issues experienced by crane and specialised transport companies working across European boarders, and beyond. For years the European Association of Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Cranes (ESTA) has been campaigning for the reform and harmonisation of the rules governing heavy transport and abnormal loads throughout the European Union. And, encouragingly, its campaign is at long last gaining momentum. ESTA reports that its reform


proposals have been backed by the Transport and Tourism (TRAN) Committee of the


John Sutch


Cranes’ sales director Paul Parry says, “It cannot continue!”


European Parliament and that now revisions to the EU's Weights and Dimensions Directive have been ratified by the full European Parliament before going into a process of consultation between the European Council, Parliament and Commission.


These include the long-awaited


Europe-wide adoption of the standard SERT documentation for abnormal load vehicle registration – a move that ESTA has supported for many years. SERT, the Special European Registration for Trucks and Trailers, is intended to reduce the paperwork and bureaucracy faced by the industry. There is still a long way to go


yet before ESTA's proposals are fully adopted but the organisation says its arguments are being taken more seriously than at any time in the recent past.


This should be heartening


for UK companies like Sutch as it demonstrates change through collaboration and dialogue really is possible. “ESTA is increasingly listened


“We are stronger


together,” says ESTA president Fabio Belli


to by our politicians and regulators who are at long last beginning to understand the great significance of the work carried out every day by our industry,” affirms current ESTA president Fabio Belli in ESTA’s recently released 2023 annual review. “We are increasing ESTA's resources, developing our


CRANES TODAY 37


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