Take vehicles to test early, Logistics UK urges

The anticipated summer spike is a result of operators being issued with certificates of temporary exemption (CTE) last year during the first wave of the pandemic.

Heavy vehicle testing was suspended in March 2020 due to the safety risk posed by the spread of coronavirus to both DVSA testing staff and vehicle operators. Operators that could not get their vehicles tested during this time were issued with CTEs.

Originally issued for vehicles that needed testing in March, April and May 2020, CTEs were subsequently issued for a further three months to cover test dates in June, July and August. As the CTEs expire, many more test expiries have been moved into the summer months leading to a higher than expected demand during this period.

Operators historically have a rolling programme for the maintenance and testing of their fleets, but CTEs issued last year have altered that. Logistics UK is now urging its members to return to their 2020 schedule, and get their vehicles tested in the same month that they did before the pandemic, enabling both them and authorised testing facilities (ATFs) to spread work more evenly across the year.

Phil Lloyd, Head of Engineering Policy, Logistics UK, said, “Along with DVSA we have been urging operators to bring their vehicles in early for test. That’s what we’re hoping will happen. If it doesn’t, there is a very real risk that DVSA will not have the capacity to manage demand in the summer months and this will be in nobody’s interest.

“The data from DVSA shows that some tests are being brought forward, but I’m still concerned that not enough will be. We are asking DVSA for an early indication of the scale of the problem and have proposed additional mitigating solutions to them. We will continue to campaign on this issue for members, should the anticipated problem look likely to arise.”

*www.logistics.org.uk/road

Published On: 15/04/2021 17:00:21

Comments Section

If you are a Logistics UK member login to add comments.