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Strike boosts queue for annual truck tests
Page 9
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A PAY STRIKE BY civil servants in Northern Ireland is set to worsen a huge backlog of truck tests, says the Freight Transport Association.
FTA regional manager Tom Wilson says local operators were already facing a nightmare scenario before last week's stoppage: "They are having to plan at least six weeks ahead in order to get a vehicle scheduled in for its annual test." Wilson says some operators
now have to choose between using their vehicles illegally and leaving them idle until a test slot becomes available. He claims the problem has been exacerbated by the installation of new testing equipment last year which has set more demanding standards.
"The average goods vehicle test failure rate for Northern Ireland is presently at an alarming figure of 38.5% which undoubtedly adds to the long waiting times for tests because operators whose vehicles have failed have to re-apply and join the queue," Wilson explains.
Andy Kidd, general manager of McNeilly Haulage in Carrickfergus, says three-quarters of the vehicles he has put in for a test over the last nine months have failed.
"It's costing us a lot of money because we've had to hire in vehicles and use subcontractors as well as pay drivers to brush the yard."
The strike has hit the Belfast,Mallusk and Craigavon test stations.