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Kirkby VOSA ATF closure will cause chaos warning
Page 10
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By Chris Tindall
HAULIERS IN the North West could face chaos when the VOSA testing station in Kirkby closes because garages have shown no interest in attaining authorised testing facility (ATF) status, according to the PCS union.
Regional secretary Peter Middleman claims the enforcement agency has not provided the Department for Transport with an accurate picture about availability in the private sector to soak up business when the test centre closes in December.
In March, VOSA said it took a rigorous approach when researching the potential ATF market and that the Liverpool area indicated a strong market. But Middleman says it has spoken to mechanics in the area and believes transport minister Mike Penning has been misinformed, at best about capacity at 14 identified garages.
"There's no desire among the proprietors to take that extra work on," he says. "They either haven't got the capacity, or this will get in the way of more profitable work."
He adds the union thinks waiting times for hauliers could double to six weeks when Kirkby closes.
Jeff Marriott, Road Haulage Association area manager, says members have raised concerns about this: "As far as they can see, the alternatives are just not there. We want to support road safety and let members access facilities and yet the ATF system seems designed to move away from that model."
VOSA operations director Alex Fiddes says: "It is irresponsible to suggest that this closure will adversely affect road safety.
"Alternative testing facilities are increasingly being used in the area with tests carried out by the same VOSA staff to the same high standards.
"This closure is part of a programme started in 2009 to reduce VOSA's overheads and keep fees low while providing a better service for customers and ensuring that Britain continues to have some of the safest roads in the world."