Current Issues

The Road Transport Directive

EU inspired legislation which affects all road transport operators and is the forerunner to the Working Time Directive. As quarries are almost entirely dependent on road haulage and our freight is less valuable than most other industries this legislation has caused major problems.

The Working Time Directive

The BAA is strongly opposed to the efforts in Brussels to remove the UK opt-out from the 48-hour week as it will cause staffing problems, cripple the haulage industry and drive up imports.

Planning Reforms

BAA are actively involved with CLG (Communities and Local Government), Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly over plans to update and improve the planning process. We are concerned that the system and process is cumbersome, over-long and increasingly time-consuming and costly for SMEs - and that there are ever-increasing obstacles to both access to mineral resources and the ability to provide these essential materials to society particularly from National Parks and AONBs. There is also concern over the role in England and Wales of the Environment Agency in areas where local planners should have the control, and their gold-plating and over-bureaucratic transposition of the EU Mining Waste Directive; and the unilateral disregard by several regional authorities of clear national minerals policy

The Quarry Regulations and Competent Managers

The key to safe and efficient sites is competency and effective supervision. The BAA has therefore developed a Safe Quarry Certification scheme specifically tailored for independent operators. This scheme has been welcomed by the Health & Safety Executive, it safeguards operators from prosecution and - best of all - it makes a real difference to on-site safety levels.

Aggregates Levy (AGL)

The association still has an appeal pending against the legality of the levy in the European Court of First Instance and it is clear that the AGL has failed to fulfil the requirements for it to be classified as an "Eco" tax. The BAA has successfully achieved rebates, often backdated, for its members on such things as moisture contents, asphalt fillers and geological exemptions.

Waste Incineration Directive

EU legislation which could prevent the use of recovered fuel oil as an alternative to virgin gas oil in heating stone for asphalt.