Earlier this month, the Traffic Commissioners (“TCs”) released their Annual Report to the Secretary of State for the year ending 31 March 2025 (“the Report”).

Forword:

The Report opens with a Foreword from Senior Traffic Commissioner, Richard Turfitt (“STC”) quoting an endorsement from the Minister of State, which states that TCs “play an important and strategic role in the transport sector” and “in road safety”. The STC goes onto say the role of TCs is not to treat operators like children; they recognise the complicated nature of the industry and balance the interests of the party against “protecting the public and wider industry from unfair practices”.

The STC says that he found his role challenging and “often isolating”, and he welcomes the public recognition as part of the family sponsored by the Department for Transport. He shares his thoughts that this isolation is partially caused by a lack of shared understanding as the title does not help people understand the role. In an attempt to improve this understanding, he continued to maintain the statutory documents, statutory directions and to “professionalise the jurisdiction” so that parties feel they are treated equally, understood and heard.

Similarly to last year’s Report, the STC raises concerns over recruitment and retention of TCs “if changes are not realised”. The STC also says that “ready access” is needed at a Departmental level, as is enjoyed with representative trade associations through working relationships.

The STC states that TCs have responded well to new challenges and expects the Freight Plan and bus legislation to be no different. However, he calls for “barriers to improvement (which have been evident for over a decade)” to be removed. He also says a “continued lack of real progress will provide a far more persuasive argument than any advocate in making the case for separation of the licensing and tribunal functions”.

The STC ends his foreword by passing the baton onto the new STC Kevin Rooney.

Strategic Objectives

Turning to the TC’s performance against the strategic objectives, the STC reports on what has been achieved across several priorities as they continue to progress towards their overarching objectives for 2023-2025. However, the Report highlights areas that still require work towards such as wider reform, which he feels was limited by the 2024 General Election and introduction of other Government legislation. Furthermore, the Report consistently touches on recruitment and retainment across the industry as a concern, including TCs, DVSA staff, and drivers.

Common Themes

In the Report, the TCs have identified common themes arising across all eight traffic areas, which may assist operators in avoiding regulatory action, and have included links to real cases to illustrate the issues consistently seen at public inquiry.

Road safety

The TCs note that improved vehicle technology and interventions have aided in the reduction of deaths and serious injuries, however the high figures demonstrate the ‘continuous need for well-resourced and effective regulation’ by TCs.

Fair competition and driver employment

The TCs create a level playing field by ensuring that all operators are held to consistent standards, which rewards those who are compliant. They note that driver employment is a persistent area in which operators attempt to circumvent fair competition. They gave an example of an operator in the West Midlands having their licence revoked due to paying drivers through service companies, leading to the operator struggling to have oversight and control of drivers.

Maintenance

The TCs warns operators that it is their duty to ensure that “all vehicles are kept in a fit and serviceable condition, regardless of who carries out the maintenance on the vehicles” under the terms of their licence, and that using external maintenance providers does not transfer responsibility. They recognise that maintenance is a “significant issue” in the industry and support the launch of the Maintenance Provision Rating System (MPRS) which provides operators reassurance and helps them to find “high qualify maintenance providers”.

Drivers hours

The Report reiterates the importance of complying with drivers’ hours regulations as a minimum to ensure safety, and that non-compliance “often indicates inadequate management systems”, which can affect broader compliance. They give examples of cases in which they had taken regulatory action against operators, Transport Managers and drivers.

Financial standing

The TCs acknowledge the significant financial challenges facing the HGV industry and the increased concern around insolvencies leading to cases where applicants fail to disclose insolvency history and an issue with tax liabilities, constituting unfair competition, which can result in a refusal of a licence.

Bridge strikes

The Report states that the number of bridge strikes is the “lowest figure in five years” but “there is still more that can be done”. The Senior Traffic Commissioner’s guidance from October 2024 has been updated and is now issued to new licence holders upon the grant of their licence.

Restricted licence holders

The TCs report warned that it is “essential that restricted licence holders take proactive steps to understand and meet their obligations, including maintaining roadworthiness, managing drivers effectively, and keeping accurate records” as they are not required to appoint a CPC holding Transport Manager.

Driver conduct

The Report reiterates that drivers of large commercial vehicles are “professional drivers” and are held to a higher standard of conduct; they are expected to remain fully aware and in control of their vehicles “given the inherent risks associated with their size and nature”.

Misuse of digital systems

TCs note the new challenges that arise with the modernisation of the jurisdiction, including the transition to digital services, such as the misuse of the Vehicle Operating Licensing (VOL) system. They have seen cases of VOL login credentials shared, which is against terms and conditions. This misuse can lead to regulatory action.

Appeals

The Report includes a caution from the Upper Tribunal against operators using “legal processes as a tactic to delay regulatory outcomes, particularly where there are risks to road safety and unfair consequences for compliant operators”. The Senior Traffic Commissioner has updated guidance on stays, along with statutory guidance and directions to TCs.

Statistics

As usual, the Report includes statistics recording the work undertaken by the TCs during the reporting yar. Some of the headlines include:

Licencing work

• 66,222 valid goods vehicle Operator Licences
• 376,044 goods vehicles authorised
• 5,280 valid public service vehicles Operator’s Licences
• 87,992 public service vehicle discs in use
• 12,345 operator’s Licence applications and variations determined
• 11,199 local bus registrations processed.

Regulatory work

1,066 public inquiries determined:

HGV

• 682 public inquiries for non-compliance
• 181 (27%) revocations
• 66 (10%) suspensions
• 221 (32%) curtailments or conditions imposed
• 176 (26%) formal warnings
• 52 (8%) operator disqualifications
• 81 (12%) Transport Manager disqualifications
• 33 (5%) no action taken

PSV

• 115 public inquiries for non-compliance
• 29 (25%) revocations
• 13 (11%) suspensions
• 45 (39%) reductions of vehicles authorised
• 6 (5%) operator disqualifications
• 19 (17%) Transport Manager disqualifications
• 3 (3%) no action taken

224 preliminary hearings held

38 Senior Team Leader (STL) interviews held

15,613 vocational driver cases closed

A copy of the full report can be found here Traffic Commissioners: annual report 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK