New Mobility Package requirements, including new cabotage regulations and the mandatory return of trucks, are difficult to enforce in practice according to a representative of the Dutch Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) who spoke to <a href="https://www.ttm.nl/transport/wegtransport/terugkeerplicht-uit-mobiliteitspakket-langs-de-weg-nauwelijks-te-handhaven/148852/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TTM.nl</a>.

New Mobility Package obligations hard to enforce in practice, says Dutch inspectorate

A haulier and its driver were fined altogether nearly €15,000 in Sweden in the middle of October when police officers found them guilty of several offences. The violations included illegal cabotage, missing posted worker documentation, and spending the night in the cabin during weekly rest.

Haulier and driver fined nearly €15,000 for illegal cabotage and other offences

Seventy drivers were fined by German road freight inspectors in Germany in June for spending their 45-hour rest period in the cabin. During all the inspections last month, the inspectors managed to pocket over 150 thousand euros from fines imposed for violations of drivers' hours and cabotage rules or technical defects.

70 HGV drivers fined in Germany for spending the weekly rest in the cab

The German authorities have presented the results of their intensified 2021 road freight controls. Last year, the BAG and BGL joined forces, conducting out three times more roadside checks than the year before. The resulting fines total was €3.6m, which was €1.4m more than in 2020. In addition, checks on German road freight companies resulted in fines of €1.8m.

Germany’s tripling of cabotage checks in 2021 yielded extra €1.4m in fines

The UK Government is currently consulting with businesses on the question of whether to continue its controversial cabotage relaxation, which allows foreign hauliers to conduct <a href="https://www.trans.info/en/uk-government-says-it-is-set-to-allow-unlimited-cabotage-within-a-2-week-period-258544" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unlimited domestic transportations in Britain over a 14-day period</a>. As part of the the consultation, the Department for Transport has released <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1059077/road-transport-cabotage-consultation-further-flexibilities-during-2022-for-foreign-hauliers.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a fascinating document</a> with data on how the existing cabotage relaxation has impacted transport movements, road safety and driver wages in the UK. 

What new DfT data says about impact of cabotage in the UK

In a document that was released today to mark the 2nd anniversary of Brexit, the UK Government has listed the recent relaxations of drivers' hours rules and cabotage as being Brexit benefits. This is despite the fact both measures have been subject to a noticeable amount of criticism from a number of British hauliers and drivers - including some who supported Brexit. 

Government lists relaxed cabotage and drivers’ hours rules as Brexit benefits

Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport, did not rule out an extension to the UK government's cabotage relaxation while speaking at a <a href="https://committees.parliament.uk/event/6224/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transport Committee meeting last week</a>.

UK extension to cabotage relaxation being kept under review

Last week, it emerged Lithuanian Haulage giant Girteka Logistics shall appear in a Norwegian district court this spring to defend itself over eleven alleged cases of illegal cabotage. A representative of Girteka has since told a Lithuanian press agency that the company feels “very positive" about the case.

Girteka confident of successful appeal in Norway cabotage case

The Unite Trade Union claims the UK Government has showed “sheer incompetence" after a freedom of information request revealed that no monitoring of the extent of cabotage occuring in the country has taken place. 

Union slams UK Government for not monitoring amount of cabotage

<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/operators-who-have-committed-drivers-hours-offences-in-great-britain?fbclid=IwAR3CWPaJOM9QKWEwE55vGNC_Kluz5q6w3IhgTEkqw_VJO61nDs-KlwxPJe8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New figures published last week by the DVSA</a> have revealed that foreign hauliers are responsible for the overwhelming majority of drivers' hours rules violations in Britain. Spanish road transport companies were the worst offenders in 2020, followed by their counterparts in Romania and Poland.