Working Time Directive brings logistics to fore
15:15 06 May 2004
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The construction industry is going to have to work smarter once the Working Time Directive (WTD) for the road transport industry comes into force on 1 March 2005.
The details of the WTD were unveiled by the Department for Transport last week. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) warned the regulations will impose costs in excess of £1bn on the transport industry and severely affect productivity.
FTA chief executive Richard Turner said: "The difficulties of reducing a current average working week of 55 hours down to a maximum of 48 hours - a loss of almost 15% - simply cannot be over emphasised."
An FTA spokeswoman told CJ the construction industry will have to work smarter.
"Quite a lot of time is spent loading and unloading lorries in the construction industry, which could have an effect on drivers' actual working hours," she said.
Gary Sullivan, managing director of construction logistics at Wilson James, believes that in the long term the WTD will force construction to think more about logistics.
"Where the construction industry will find it difficult is when drivers have to wait at sites to unload materials and equipment - it will eat into their time. Construction firms will have to plan more," he explained.
"Without doubt the costs of delivering materials to site will go up if people aren't efficient. Once people plan and embrace it, there will be savings to be made. Construction firms will benefit by having more certainty in their productivity. But it will take a year or two to settle down."