Hgv and psv test fees
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WE WISH TO register a complaint to the Department of Transport on behalf of prospective hgv drivers, many of whom are unemployed and view the possession of an hgv licence as a possible open door into a new job. How can the Department justify its recent increases in hgv and psv test fees?
Up till September 27 1982, if a two-man team of examiners between them conduct, as is usual, three hgv tests and three psv tests per day they earn for the Department 3 X f44 forthe hgv tests and nothing for the psv tests giving a daily total of £132 for the two men.
After September 27 1982, the same two men doing the same amount of work with no
increases in overheads will earn 3 X £59.50 for the hgv tests and 3 X £36 for the psv tests for the Department which gives a new total of £286.50, a daily increase of a staggering £154.50. Multiplied over the year and over the country, this represents a vast increase in revenue for the Department.
We, on the other hand as a small hgv training centre have done our utmost to keep increases in our prices down, so much so that we have not increased our prices for 12 months.
This is despite our escalating overheads though the increases in diesel prices, tax and insurance, spare parts, and so on not to mention rates, rents and living costs. The majority of our customers have to beg or borrow money for training and now they have to find more money than ever to pay increased test fees, and they are terrified of failing first time because they will have to find more money for a retest.
As usual, we have seen and heard very little about this scandalous state of affairs. Are we going to sit back and accept it as is our usual response to these increases or is something going to be done about these inflationary increases? MARGARET HANSON, Transport Manager, Hanson H.G.V. Training & Haulage, Stourbridge, West Midlands.