Seven men have been arrested and released on bail after co-ordinated arrests for fraud offences relating to LGV licences and the Driver CPC.
The operation, conducted by Greater Manchester Police’s Volume Fraud unit in conjunction with the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), also saw a warrant executed at the United Road Transport Union (URTU) HQ in Stanley Green Business Park, Cheadle Hulme.
Seven men, aged between 42 and 62, were arrested by officers from Greater Manchester Police, as well as officers from Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire forces, on suspicion of fraud by false representation.
Greater Manchester Police told Commercialmotor.com that all seven had now been released on bail.
Coffeeholic:
That’s not good news, probably going to make getting the DCPC a bit more difficult.
I agree, if you’re going to do the DCPC and want it easy I would suggest getting it done before this comes to Court or the lorry hating public/press get wind of it!
The United Road Transport Union (URTU) has become the first organisation to have its Driver CPC training approval withdrawn, following an investigation by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).
As revealed in Commercial Motor’s sister title Motor Transport (19 September), the investigation was launched after two formal complaints about a health and safety course run by the URTU at the Holiday Inn, Bristol, on 4 September.
The course was attended by 31 drivers paying £20 a head, including lunch. CM understands that the complaints allege that although the course started at 9am, ended at 2.15pm and included two 40-minute breaks, it was logged as seven hours’ training.
For a full-day course to count towards the Driver CPC, it must include at least seven hours’ training accredited by approval body the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT).
It is also understood that the complaints relate to the quality of training and the number of drivers on the course.
The DSA says in a statement: "We take any complaint extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring that all Driver CPC training courses — and providers — meet the high standards required of them. Training providers that are found not to meet these high standards may have their approval suspended or withdrawn.
“URTU has failed to meet its obligations as an approved training provider and so its approval to deliver Driver CPC periodic training has been withdrawn.”
In response, a statement from the union says: "URTU is surprised to learn that the DSA have informed the press of its decision to withdraw approval for the union to deliver its Driver CPC course Health and Safety at Work Law.
“URTU understands that there is a statutory appeals procedure that deals with such decisions taken by the DSA. It would be wholly inappropriate and unfair on the DSA if the Union were to make any further comment until there had been a completion of the due processes of law.”
URTU, which received written notification of the DSA’s decision last Friday (2 December) has 28 days to appeal the decision, which if challenged would go to a first-tier tribunal.
The news will do nothing for the reputation of the already unpopular Driver CPC. A recent Freight Transport Association survey suggested uptake remained low, with up to 46% of UK operators set to miss the 2014 deadline. Quality of provision was a key concern.
Surely the hardest part of any DCPC course is the padding it out for 35 hours.
Thats a whole lot of talking.
35 hours is, for most people in this country a full weeks work. Imagine sitting and listening how to do the job you`ve been doing all your life for a full week.
You would think they had more important things to do like getting the hours down to reflect the year 2012 and wages up, what a load of bo zos, why fiddle the DCPC WHEN YOU COULD SIT AT THE BACK WITH A PILLOW AND STILL PASS.
Ive just completed mine this week ADR last week 21 hours and two seven hour sessions this week, one of which was first aid, there is no option to sit at the back with an ipod, pillow or newspaper, we were shown a horrific slide show of various accidents this particular paramedic had attended, then it was “audience participation time !!” Out with the rubber manikins to learn CPR three people to a doll. On the other session we were given spot quizzes and questionaires to fill in ,whether you got them right or wrong didn’t matter it was just to keep you awake.
Good to see not only is this DCPC nonsense providing jobs for the boys and gals, a whole new ■■■■■■■ industry 
, it’s also keeping plod busy as well. 
