Behind the clock
Page 17
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
with tachographs by CM reporter NO formal approval has yet been given by the Department of the Environment for any tachograph fitting and calibration centres. This is despite the fact that three manufacturers were asked by the DoE in February to apply for authorisation.
But Lucas Kienzle Instruments have 130 centres in the UK and the Republic of Ireland fully stocked and operationaL Thirty more are on the way.
Smiths Instruments and Veeder Root are believed to be equally affected by the delay.
However, some fleets have now been equipped: including batches for the Black and White coach subsidiary of the National Bus Company, and St Ivel, part of the Unigate Group.
Lucas's centre at Avonmouth has installed and calibrated about 100 tachographs since January. The company is confident that the work has been done to EEC standards. But the necessary certification cannot be recorded on the instrument heads, and it is not certain what inspection stamp identification must be pressed on to the lead seals attached to the installation.
I understand that the manufacturers have an informal agreement to provide a national spread of 300 to 400 tacho centres.
So far, I estimate 120,000 tachos have been fitted in the UK, so some 530,000 vehicles have yet to be equipped. If each fitting agency manages about 10 a week the total task will take about two years.
Avonmouth reckons to take about eight hours to complete a cable-driven installation In a coach for about £120 plus fitting charge; and about two and a half hours for an electronic one at £240 to £300 plus fitting charge.