The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has welcomed the government's proposed Red Tape Review, which could be hugely beneficial to the UK's haulage sector.

However, the organisation has said the government must consult closely with industry and introduce a number of safeguards if the review is to be successful – particularly if the coalition wants to boost the economy by slashing bureaucracy.

One of the key proposals put forward by ministers is the deprecation of driving licence paper counterparts – which would come into effect in 2015. But the FTA claims this is an important safeguard for the industry.

The association's director of national and regional policy, Karen Dee said: "A lot of commercial vehicle operators check the validity of the drivers they employ from penalty points on their counterpart.

"If this is removed then a robust system is needed that will allow potential employers to gauge clearly and instantly a driver's entitlement to drive."

The FTA has also been campaigning against plans to further increase fuel duty, with chief economist Simon Chapman claiming that the coalition is losing touch with road users in the current economic climate.

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Posted by Steve Clarke