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Anchors aweigh for Lloyd's testing

26th June 1982, Page 3
26th June 1982
Page 3
Page 3, 26th June 1982 — Anchors aweigh for Lloyd's testing
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

IE SIGNALS for Lloyd's Register of Shipping to take over the avy goods vehicle test station network may not yet be green, but certainly on flashing amber, according to the Government.

Speaking in the House of immons last week, Transport ider Secretary Lynda Chalker nfirmed that agreement has en reached for Lloyd's to take er the 91 stations, and negotions are now at a delicate and tailed stage ready for a transnext spring.

She told the Commons that 3 scheme, which marks the actical outcome of an idea first iated in 1979 by former Transid Secretary Norman Fowler, )uld command the confidence the industry, and would lead long-demanded improve-. ants in the testing service. And she went on to say that a ot project into the new testing gime is planned for early imamentation. A Department of ansport spokesman explained at this would take place after a stations are sold to Lloyd's d would establish whether Dre flexible opening hours uld be arranged for the stains.

The Vehicle Operators' Adviry Panel, which will shadow a new arrangements, has alady begun to operate, with rad Haulage Association imadiate past chairman Ken Rogs as its chairman for the first ar.

Freight Transport Association ,puty director general Gary irvey, who is that organisein's principal representative

the panel, told CM that )yd's Register has also offered a trade associations and Dertment of Transport places on a council for the authority lich will run the stations. That body, which will remain per cent in Lloyd's control, II be operated as an autonoous body and will neither conbute funds to nor drain them from other Lloyd's activities.

Lloyd's was concerned that the body, which will be run as a friendly society, should not be called a society, and proposed Lloyd's Register Vehicle Testing Association instead. The RHA and FTA are unhappy about the confusion which this might cause, and have proposed "Authority" instead.

Mrs Chalker said last week that she was glad the organisational structure of Lloyd's involved the industry in the decisions being taken about the future of testing, and said she thought it would benefit all concerned. Mr Turvey said the transfer would be so smooth as to make the customer unaware of much initial change.

But in the House of Lords last week, Conservative peer Lord Lucas of Chilworth described the Transport Bill as a ''mish-mash of absolute nonsense", and went on to say it was the Tories' worst-ever Transport Bill.

He said he would try to persuade the House that the testing move was wrong, and said in all seriousness, with 25 years' experience of the industry, that the private sector could not do the job as well as or better than the public sector.

If the Government is losing money, then it should increase the test fee. The present approach was mistaken, Lord Lucas said, as it would neither advance road safety nor alleviate the many fears people have about commercial vehicles.


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