Stand up for an independent VI
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• The Secretary of State for Transport, John MacGregor, is consulting the haulage industry about the future of vehicle testing and whether it should remain in the public sector with the T.
Recently we have noticed a number of our customers with Class VII (Light Goods) vehicles coming hack to US for their annual test. Many comments indicate that they want a test which "has no strings attached", or is ''impartial and unbiased". Many went to other test centres last year and have returned to us. Why? Tithe cost of "repair to pass the test" is noticed at the smaller vehicle end of the market, what might the cost be to an owner-driver if he has to take his top-of-the-range artic to a local "rival" haulier for his certificate?
VI has been at the forefront of developing the new VI, Roller Brake Tester. The uprating of the testing capability was perhaps overdue, and was certainly necessary with the recent sophisticated development of brake systems. If the VI loses the right to test to the private sector two main questions arise. Will the current VLTS equipment be too costly for some "authorised premises" to install? And when we need to develop again for the next generation of brakes and braking systems, who will be there to do it? If testing goes private now there will be no Government body to do the same groundwork "the next time". Where will that leave road safety?
Finally there is the question of the cost of the change to the taxpayer and operator. We estimate that up to 1,000 jobs are under threat, at an estimated top cost of more than £50m. Will the opportunity to earn a test fee
of £34 per lorry for franchised dealers and garages be worth that price? The VI trade unions think not, and urge you to support us.
The strides we have made since becoming the first of dear Mrs Thatcher's Executive Agencies have been measured and documented —and supported by customer surveys. As an independent organisation, which does not seek to fail vehicles so that we can have an interest in the spares or repairs end of things, we conduct an impartial and unbiased test.
David L Price, I// Trade Unions Secretary.