Time has flown by and once again we find that the schools are back after the long summer break and the Office of the Traffic Commissioner has issued its annual report to the Secretary of State, providing a review of the year.  This year the report also marks the transfer of the role of Senior Traffic Commissioner from Mr. Richard Turfitt to Mr. Kevin Rooney.  To record the passing of the ‘STC’ baton, Mr. Turfitt has written a valedictory introduction to the report which includes some interesting topics for discussion.

Office of the Traffic Commissioners – “no longer the embarrassing relative”

Mr Turfitt’s introduction offers an insight into what the role of the Senior Traffic Commissioner actually entails as well as a look back over the wider changes that the tansport industry has faced during Mr Turfitt’s eight-year tenure. Mr. Turfitt candidly describes the role as “challenging and often isolating”  and one needing “support from colleagues, staff and stakeholders” in order to do it well.  In that vein, Mr. Turfitt welcomed the public recognition the Senior Traffic Commissioner role received from the Department for Transport in February 2025 stating that he [feels he] is “no longer that embarrassing relative, sat in the corner”.   Mr. Turfitt then reviews the work that he has done to improve and consolidate the reference materials for all Office of the Traffic Commissioner Staff to ensure cohesion within the regions and to professionalise the jurisdiction of which he is justifiably proud.

Office of Traffic Commissioners – Road Safety and Diversity

Mr. Turfitt stresses the importance of the work the Office of the Traffic Commissioner does in helping to create Britain’s manifold achievements in road safety by enforcing the legal obligations that transport operators have. However, he strikes a conciliatory note by acknowledging that it is important “not to treat operators as children” and to acknowledge the multitude of challenges transport businesses face.

Mr. Turfitt laments the lack of diversity on the Traffic Commissioner bench – as despite it being 25 years since the first female Traffic Commissioner being appointed, few more have joined them. This is partly due to the fact there is only one “work pattern” in the OTC – which risks making it less attractive to new applicants, as the OTC is in direct competition with other tribunals/courts. Mr. Turfitt warns that this situation will continue to exist with issues with recruitment and retention of commissioners likely to worsen if changes are not made.

Finally, Mr. Turfitt concludes by wishing his successor, Mr. Kevin Rooney well and wishing his colleagues and stakeholders “safe travels”.

Review of the Wider Report

The rest of the report discusses the restructuring of the Office of the Traffic Commissioner which began in 2023 and which is reaching the end of the process and the challenges that has thrown up.  An independent audit was due to be completed in 2024 to evaluate the success of the scheme, but the result of that audit has yet to be published or shared with the Traffic Commissioners.

The increasing use of digital services is highlighted as a success, modernising the services undertaken by the OTC and reducing processing times, as well as increasing security and lowering the administrative burden on those within the service.  The licence renewal process that operators must follow every five years is now fully digitalised, as well as the process for adding and removing transport managers on standard licences. Streamlining of services through these new digital innovations should, according to the report, continue through the new reporting year.

In terms of legislative change, the report states that the OTC will move to seek change for an improved operator licencing system to further reduce costs for applicants and improve public understanding of the role. This process was started in 2024, but due to the limited remit of Traffic Commissioners to effect legislative change, as well as the General Election in July 2024, which put a hold on such projects, progress in this area would benefit from acceleration.

Autonomous Vehicles

One more unusual element of this report is the mention of autonomous vehicle trials. The OTC has continued to monitor trials involving driverless vehicles, albeit with safety drivers present in the vehicles in case of mishap, and has actively engaged with the Department for Transport regarding the introduction of fully autonomous vehicles on the wider UK roads. The report states that this work is “accelerating”, and the report even speculates that in the future there may be a specific role for Traffic Commissioners in the licencing schemes for such vehicles.

Section 19 Permits

The report states that the OTC together with colleagues at the Department for Transport have recognised the need to provide updated guidance for operators holding permits issued under the Transport Act 1985.  The OTC are working with the DfT and the Community Transport Association to revise the guidance to ensure greater clarity on the rules for this use of vehicles.

Transport Manager for Light Goods Vehicle Operators

All operators of Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) who had relied on a transport manager with Acquired Rights were required to appoint a suitably qualified transport manager by the time those Rights expired in May 2025.  The OTC is conducted a sustained messaging campaign to highlight this deadline within the industry and ensure that those holding licences without a suitably qualified Transport Manger do not have their licences revoked by default.

Wider Industry Context

The downturn in the UK economy and the impact this has had on the transport sector is highlighted in the report, with the Traffic Commissioners acknowledging the higher labour costs that UK operators and businesses face as well as ongoing increasing operational costs, all of which put further pressure on profit margins that in some cases are already “narrow” at best.  However, not surprisingly, they counter this viewpoint with an acknowledgement of the cost, both financially as well as emotionally, that a road fatality can cause to those affected by such an accident and therefore the overriding need to ensure vehicles are operated safely and that road safety is paramount in any maintenance decisions.

The security issues of heavy goods vehicle loads and the increasing prevalence of organised crime groups targeting HGVs and their loads is another area highlighted by the report.  The estimated loss to the UK economy is put at around £1 billion since 2020.  Thefts from lorries as well as being highly disruptive on a daily logistical basis also result in substantial financial damage including loss of contracts, increased insurance premiums, driver welfare challenges and an overall decline in investment across the logistics sector in the UK.

The ongoing driver shortage is the final area for review.  Whilst the report acknowledges that the sector continues to offer substantial employment opportunities with competitive salaries, particularly for experienced drivers it then notes that the HGV sector continues to face a significant driver shortage with estimates of 200,000 new lorry drivers needed in the next five-year period.  The Traffic Commissioners state that they recognise the importance of maintaining high professional standards for drivers, whilst supporting efforts to attract and retain qualified drivers, including  licensing and regulatory processes remaining efficient and “proportionate” so as to assist the industry in this area.

Summary:

While it is clear from Mr. Turfitt’s introduction that this year, and the preceding 7 years of his tenure have presented some considerable challenges for the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, with stifled attempts at progress, there have undoubtedly been positive changes made which have in turn benefited the entire transport industry.  Mr. Turfitt’s poignant foreword reflects a lengthy contribution as Senior Traffic Commissioner and no doubt we would all wish to echo his words, in wishing Kevin Rooney ‘God speed’ in his new role.

If your transport operation is facing any issues mentioned above and you would like to discuss how to tackle them then please do not hesitate to get in touch.  Our lawyers are here to help.  Call now on 01279 818280 or click here to send us an email.

© Richard Pelly, September 2025