Problems delay limiter checks
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• Technical and administrative problems could scupper Vehicle Inspectorate plans to incorporate a speed limiter check in the annual HOY test.
Earlier this year the VI introduced targeted roadside checks to identify whether speed limiters had been tampered with or incorrectly sot ( CM 11-17 May). Following the success of this scheme the VI has been considering a similar check for the annual test. But since It began trialling the electronic equipment at two test stations a number of problems have come to light.
Roger Trubridge, VI policy manager for heavy vehicles, reports that the main problem is that switches or fuses which have been tampered with can simply be replaced before a vehicle is brought in for its annual test.
There also appear to be difficulties in checking limiters which take their speed signals from the vehicle's ikiLS system rather than from the tachograph.
Trubridge says: "There are a number of issues to sort out but that doesn't mean we won't go ahead, we just have to find a way around them. We also have to think carefully whether the extra fees we will have to charge [for the annual test] will be worthwhile." The evaluation findings are expected to be known at the end of the year.
Since the introduction of roadside speed limiter checks earlier this year, Trubridga says levels of prohibitions have been much higher than predicted, but ho declines to give a figure.