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URTU calls for medic&
Page 15
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TI-IS UNITED Road Transport Union has presented a petition to Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman calling for free medical tests for truck drivers.
The petition, containing 7,000 signatures, was presented to Ladyman by URTU general secretary Bob Monks last week following a meeting of the Road Haulage Forum.
At present, all LGV drivers are required to undergo a medical test when they renew their licence at 45 and then again every five years after that. A study carried out by URTU found that in certain areas, drivers are being charged as much as El 50 per medical.
Presenting the petition, Monks said that it was only fair that the medical be made free. He adds: "Having waived the licence renewal fee on the grounds that it was an unfair cost to an LGV driver every five years, the medical fee should also be removed. The government is now under intense pressure on this issue.
This campaign has already received the support of the TUC, together with the Scottish and Welsh TUCs. I hope the thousands of drivers that signed our petition will send out a clear message to the Government about just how unfair it is for individual drivers to have to be burdened with the financial cost of these medicals.