RHA CHIEF executive, Richard Burnett has written to roads minister Baroness Vere strongly voicing concerns over roadworthiness testing.
‘Even before COVID-19 took hold we were concerned about the relaxation of testing and DVSA’s approach. At a time when our industry is having to maintain vehicles to keep food and medicines moving, surely now is the time for decisive action to reintroduce, in June or July, delegated HGV testing.
HGV testing is an essential part of managing road safety and operators need clarity on when the suspension will be lifted for their operational planning. ATF businesses have also been closed with no right of appeal and no suggested alternatives.
When testing recommences the RHA is concerned that there will be an immediate backlog due to an insufficient number of DVSA examiners available to meet demand.
‘Our proposal for delegated testing is not new. But despite making many requests to DVSA to authorise qualified people at ATFs, in addition to DVSA’s own employees, we are still at an impasse.
