VOSA, the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency, the organisation responsible for enforcing the Working Time Directive in the transport industry, has published advice containing serious and fundamental errors.

Shortly afterwards VOSA was obliged to correct the advice, to apologise and to send out fresh communications in order to clarify part of the regulations.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) said that the experience confirms the complexity of the new Directive and the care needed by vehicle operators in order to ensure that they comply with the new regulations when they come into force on March 23, 2005.

The Freight Transport Association has been engaged in debate and negotiation with Westminster and Brussels on the Working Time Directive for more than 10 years. FTA is to provide a suite of services to its members, all based on the expertise accumulated on the subject over that ten years.

FTA members have already received the key document the FTA Compliance Guide to the Working Time Directive. Detailed below is the range of information, training and consultancy services designed to advise and support vehicle operators' transition to the new legislation and the reduced working week.

FTA Policy Director James Hookham said, "Vehicle operators and logistics users must now concentrate on implementing the new regulations. The next few weeks will be critical in deciding who wins and who loses when the music stops on 23 March. This week's experience with VOSA demonstrates how easy it is to get matters wrong.

"However, FTA members can be assured that the team which has delivered a Working Time Directive that industry can live with, will now remain focused on helping members comply."