Licences for recovery
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IT IS five years since Commercial Motor established the Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators. The initiative came from the operators who wanted to belong to an element of society which others recognised as respectable.
The image of the recovery man has changed over these five years. The title "wrecker" has been outlawed and the drooling alsatians are less in evidence, but there is still much to be achieved.
Although less bold in their utterances, AVRO members still hint darkly that "donations" in the right places will ensure emergency work. They claim that even when called out they have been beaten to the job by an unskilled under-equipped "wrecker".
If these malpractices exist, they should be stamped out. AVRO has the answer. It wants all recovery men to be graded and licensed.
Insurance companies should then demand that only licensed operators' work would satisfy a claim. More damage can be sustained during recovery than was caused by the accident.
Though the licensing of recovery operators cannot be regarded as a Government priority, the operators have been making this request for five years. It would not take much Parliamentary time to bring it into being.
Perhaps it could be done by a Member of Parliament who is looking to introduce a private member's bill.