Horse transport

[Jonathan]

We just had a trainer in the other day to get us all up to speed on the new horse transport regulations, the state of play at the VOSA, need for certificates of competence, compliance, etc.

I thought this would all be ineffably dull but discovered there were things we did not know about horse transport. In fact, there was quite a lot.

Also, one cannot help but be impressed by the potential costs of non-compliance in what seems to be a rapidly evolving regulatory climate.

If I heard this right, the bottom line is that VOSA is putting a small army of inspectors on the road and they are being told to be especially attentive to horse transport. So, coming soon to a county show near you, look for the man in the VOSA van.

Doubt not that they have the legal power to order you off the road, in some instances, immediately.

I suspect that the cost of transporting horses, for many of us, is about to rocket.

There is a suspicion, too, that for once, the jobsworths have a point. The horse world has been getting away with practices that are not tolerated in the road transport industry. Maybe it is time we cleaned up the act.

 

[dieseldog]

I don't understand your poll. But as a 1 horse hobby owner, with an older 7.5 ton lorry I escape most of the VOSA legislation - I don't even need side reflectors let alone lights on my box - and a tacho what? I don't need a certificate of competenace either as my horse is classed as a pet and I don't work in the horse industry. My lorry is also so underweight the threat of mobile weighbridges don't scare me

 

[BlackDiamond]

Half of me agrees with the fact that VOSA plan to police the roads more carefully and the other half feels like a snotty primary school brat who doesn't want them sticking their noses in.

Fact of the matter is, the law is the law, you can't get away from it I guess.

 

[irishdraught]

VOSA are very powerful people that can prohibit basically any motor vehicle for faults and/or overweight.
Why not, I say, I hold an operators licence, have CPC and play by the book - so should everyone else. Very preachy I know but there will always be those who play by the rules, and those who don't; either through ignorance or arrogance.

Weight restrictions are there for safety on the roads and yes, they also dip for red diesel!

Unless you have something to worry about, why worry?

 

[Jonathan]

The poll is a joke. Sorry to be obscure. I am glad you are so confident in your older lorry. Perhaps you are right that none of this makes any difference to you.

 

[dieseldog]

[ QUOTE ]
The poll is a joke. Sorry to be obscure. I am glad you are so confident in your older lorry. Perhaps you are right that none of this makes any difference to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

No it doesn't make any difference to me - but then I've actually taken time to read the proper documentation, weighed my lorry and not listened to scaremongers