SHOP TALK
Page 87
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a Th Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness has finally been published. It may not hold too many surprises, but should at last clarify some of the grey areas in vehicle maintenance.
On reading the guide it becomes apparent just how much maintenance the authorities expect to be done cm a cornrnercial vehicle. But there is a fundamental problem in keeping unfit vehicles off the road, and that is enforcement.
The current Licensing Authorities' report highlights their lack of power to deter unauthorised operation and lack of activity by many statutory objectors. Even on the road the VI only plans to spot-check. one vehicle in five, While we should not complain about raising the standards of maintenance on our CVs it all costs money — and the more it costs, the more unscrupulous operators have to gain from running unfit vehicles.
The duty of care in waste disposal, as set out in the Environmental Protection Bill, places responsibility for the disposal of used tyres on the workshop. Charges are now being made for taking the carcases away, so once again the Bill will tend to make fly tipping more financially attractive to cowboys.
Regulations making road transport more responsible and accountable will be welcomed by good workshops and operators alike. But they must be enforced effectively, and that means giving the LAs and the police the powers and resources to do the job. Otherwise all these regulations are just a cowboy's charter for printing money.
Editor: Colin Sowman 081-661 3680
Advertising manager: Jeremy Fordrey 081-661 3665 Northern sales executive: Sheila Hanrahan 061-873 7988 Publishing director: James Blazeby 081-661 3338
Workshop is published monthly as a supplement to Commercial Motor by Reed Business Publishing Ltd, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 SAS (Telephone: 081-661 3500), typeset by Cipherset Ltd and printed by Thamesmouth Printing Group plc, Basildon, Essex. © Reed Business Publishing Ltd, 1991. Facsimile machine 081-661 8971. Telex 892084 Reed BPG.