RAC's rescue code is slammed
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• The RAC's new BS5750orientated code of practice for road rescue firms (CM 18-24 July) has been attacked by both major recovery trade associations.
"We are a bit cross to say the least," says Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators vice-chairman Terry Jones. "The RAC asked us to endorse this document some months ago but we felt it had a bias towards RAC agents and refused to do so. It is still biased."
Peter Cosby, chairman of the Road Rescue Recovery Association, reveals that RRRA is working on its own code for BS5750, which will be completed before the end of the year: "We have decided to go our own way. The RAC has not consulted us and we would not recommend it. Put it this way, if AVRO were to boycott the RAC code, we would probably do the same.
"The RAC is out of order on this. It is making too strong an assumption. We cannot support a code that corresponds only to RAC procedures. We are looking to establish a code that suits the whole of the industry, including the RAC."
AVRO is even more forthright in its criticisms: "The document ties down the prospective companies and it's very restrictive for anyone who is not an RAC agent. The full spectrum of the recovery industry is simply not covered," it says.
One of the chief complaints of AVRO and the RRRA is the RAC's "Quality Partnership Scheme" which allows RAC agents to save time and money when going through the BS5750 application process.
And AVRO, which has had standards of conduct for several years, objects strongly to RAC Rescue Services director Frank Richardson's statement that "no formal guidelines have ever been set down" by the industry before.
According to Richardson: "every motorist has the right to expect prompt help from a trained operator who will carry out disciplined safety and security procedures."