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Atkins no to
Page 6
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II Loaded trucks will not be used in HGV driving tests in the immediate future.
In a letter to Commercial Motor, Transport Minister Robert Atkins says: "There are arguments for changing from unladen to a laden vehicles requirement in the test." But he claims that there are also a number of practical difficulties.
For example, says Atkins, verification of the safety and security of the load would be time consuming and costly, and he warns it would be difficult to make loads used in tests representative. He also claims that extra insurance costs would have to be met.
Even with a British Standard for loaded training and testing vehicles, "it must be remembered that there is no compulsion for HGV learner drivers to take their test in a training school vehicle, so the difficulties for hauliers using their own vehicles would remain," the minister says.
However, the Department of Transport says it has no statistics to determine what proportion of HGV driving tests are taken by drivers in their own trucks.
Atkins has promised to look