Hazexam fears eased
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• Fears that drivers of tank containers and road tankers carrying dangerous substances would have little chance of passing written examinations under new EC laws eased last week, when the first pass certificates were issued to drivers.
But fears that the results would take too long to come through were confirmed: the drivers had to wait for five weeks for the results from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
"It's longer than we were given to understand at the outset. Clearly this has to be reduced," says Tony Cook, controller of hazardous and bulk goods for the RHA.
The first four-and-a-half-day course was held at Chemfreight where 21 drivers took the examinations. However the final pass rate is still unknown.
"The DVLA has not yet let us know who has passed or failed. We're a little bit miffed," says a spokesman for Chemfreight.
The written examination became compulsory for tanker and tank container drivers from 1 July this year, but the legislation making the training possible according to EC requirements was only finalised at the last minute and the RHA feared trainers would have little time to prepare.