LET EFFICIENT COMPANIES TEST THEIR OWN VEHICLES'
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WHEN the annual vehicle testing scheme is extended to cover the heavier WV vehicles at present excluded, companies which have the necessary test facilities and a stringent maintenance programme to ensure that their vehicles are always in first-dass condition should be able to test their own vehicles, subject to suitable safeguards, irrespective of whether their test facilities are thrown open to other users. This suggestion has been made by the vehicles committee of the Traders Road Transport Association, which recently discussed he Ministry's proposal to include heavy vehicles in the annual scheme.
The committee felt that, since many large companies already had strict maintenance and testing schemes of their own, an official test scheme would in these cases be a duplication, and some means should be found of integrating the private schemes into the national plan.
The basic principle of regular testing of heavy goods vehicles was accepted by the committee but they felt that the mechanics of the scheme needed a great deal of thought. As well as the point made above, it was considered desirable to reduce to the minimum the time, cost and disruption which would be caused to normal transport operation.
The committee was concerned about the number of official testing stations adequately equipped and staffed to deal with heavy commercial vehicles and made the following suggestions to alleviate the position:—
(I) There should be maximum availability of the facilities whereby Ministry of Transport examiners would themselves test vehicles on the companies' own, or other suitable, premises; in particular. this and other special test facilities should be available to vehicles exceeding three tons unladen instead of the four tons proposed by the Ministry.
(2) The possibility of setting up official testing stations in municipal and private bus and coach depots should be explored. (3) Test stations should be open for as long as possible, including nights and week-ends wherever practicable.
(4) The regulations should be framed to safeguard the position of vehicles which have been unable to secure a test because of pressure upon testing facilities.
The committee also emphasized the need to provide clear and specific definitions of the standards to be attained, for example, in relation to measurements of wear and smoke, to avoid the possibility of differing interpretations.
Details of the Ministry's proposed testing scheme for heavy vehicles were published in The Commercial Motor of November 1 last.
Continental Course: The Continental Conversion Course operated by the British School of Motoring to familiarize drivers with European operating conditions is to have a new instruction centre—Mallory Park racing circuit, Leicestershire. The existing Brands Hatch, Kent, centre will continue. Bookings for both places may be made through B.S.M. at 102 Sydney Street, London, S.W.3 (Tel.: FLAxrnan 1014).