Transport

Prospect members’ interests in the transport industry cut across aviation, road, rail and maritime transportation, as well as areas of regulation and research.

We have around 7,500 members across the industry. They work in both public and private sectors, in air traffic control, vehicle examination and licensing, highways maintenance and safety, port state control and providing aids to navigation for seafarers.

Most work in highly specialised roles, but at some employers, eg Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, Prospect represents staff in all disciplines across the organisation.

Among the current challenges facing members are:

• Plans for a full-scale privatisation of NATs, the UK air traffic control provider. Prospect members, working as both air traffic controllers and air traffic systems specialists, have warned that the government’s plans to divest itself of its remaining share of the business, revealed in the March 2011 budget, will lead to a drive for profits and dividends which would undermine the delivery of the service.

• The continued threat to the Vehicle Operator & Services Agency (VOSA). Despite having fought off wholesale privatisation of VOSA's testing (and elements of its roadside enforcement) activities, members and vehicle operators are concerned that the current Testing Transformation Programme (TTP) strategy is nothing less that the first step towards another attempt to privatise the agency’s work. Prospect believes there will be more deaths on our roads if VOSA's high standards are not maintained.  Follow this link to find out more about Road safety: keep if public, the union's campaign against the privatisation of heavy vehicle testing.