VOSA staff trade unions Lambast ATF strategy
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taura.haitstonefdrbi.co.uk THE TRADE unions representing VOSA staff say they have "grave concerns" about the direction of the agency's Testing Transformation Programme and are worried that it will not deliver a decent service for the transport industry.
The Unite, Prospect. and PCS trade unions. collectively known as the VOSA Trade Union Side (TVS), have written to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for 'Transport Mike Penning requesting a meeting to discuss their concerns.
Kevin Warden, VOSA TUS secretary, says: "We're not saying we don't want change: we appreciate the network of stations is 40 years old and a lot of the stations are not located in the most convenient of
places. hut our main issue is the direction the Department for Transport [MT] is taking us in. It appears it is estate disposal, at any cost.He fears the government is pushing for full privatisation of testing.
According to the trade unions. VOSA has spent around .E6m to date on implementation of its Authorised Testing Facility ( ATF) strategy, with a further £4m estimated to be spent this financial year. Meanwhile, only a handful of ATEs have gone live and there are few potential operators in the pipeline. "That £10rn could have gone a long way to modernising the existing network of test stations," adds Warden.
With the government's Comprehensive Spending Review set to report in the autumn, the trade unions are fully aware that VOSA's finances may need to tighten further. If successful in obtaining a meeting with Penning, VOSA TUS says it plans to outline alternative solutions for "more efficient and cost-effective ways of working".
One such solution, says Warden, would be to pull together the sites used by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Driving Standards Agency and VOSA. "We arc all part of the DfT, so why not pool resources?" he asks. He argues that better located stations could allow VOSA to reduce its estate.
VOSA chief executive Alastair Peoples says: "VOSA has worked in partnership with industry. Da' and the unions in creating the ATF strategy. We know working with the TUS is key to the success of the
ATF strategy and we are pleased that our discussions with them about how plans may affect staff are proving constructive.