Test figs disappoint
Page 15
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BUS AND COACH maintenance standards have some way to go to equal the generally improved record for goods vehicles, according to newly-published statistics from the Department of Transport which show minibus standards to be especially poor.
During the first financial year of statutory testing of public service vehicles, 61,221 buses and coaches were inspected at the 91 heavy goods vehicle testing stations or 170 operators' premises approved as testing stations.
Of the vehicles tested, 24.7 per cent failed the first test and a further 6.7 per cent failed a retest. Of the vehicles presented for the first test 5.7 per cent (3,795) were 9-12 seat minibuses, 58.1 per cent (38,471) were single-deck buses or coaches and 36.2 per cent double-deckers.
Of the different types of psv, minibuses came off worst with 33 per cent failing initial tests. Larger single-deckers had a slightly better success rate although they still gave cause for concern — 27.5 per cent of the 38,471 vehicles failed. coaches were the best type of psv with only a 19 per cent fail rate. Out of 23,955 double-deck buses and coaches, 19,399 passed their class VI test first time and this probably reflected the better maintenance facilities of the larger public operators.