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Testing times – speed limiters out, old tyres remain
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) announced at its monthly business liaison meeting last week that it would be removing the inspection of speed limiters from the annual test of HGVs from 1 May 2021.
Head of Engineering Policy Phil Lloyd (pictured above), who attended the meeting on behalf of Logistics UK, said that while he was surprised that the industry received just three short weeks’ notice that this element of the test would be removed, he supported the move, as there are very few defects detected on speed limiters.
“It takes specialist equipment and time to inspect speed limiters and the fail rate is negligible,” he said, “so DVSA has decided that it’s an element of the test that no longer carries any real benefits.”
As authorised testing facilities (ATFs) need to buy all the equipment to inspect speed limiters and have them calibrated, the removal of this element of the test is expected to save them valuable time and money.
“On the basis that there are very few defects found on speed limiters, particularly in light of technological development, we applaud this move,” Lloyd said.
Also discussed at the meeting, often dubbed the ‘Stanmore meeting’ owing to its original north London venue, was the review of tyres more than 10 years old, which were banned on steering axles on HGVs from 1 February this year. As previously reported in Logistics Magazine, more than three out of four MOT tyre failures in February were revealed to be more than 10 years old.
The numbers for March, while an improvement on February’s, remain a cause for concern. In March, more than 170 vehicles failed their annual test because of tyres, over 50 of which were categorised as dangerous. More than 2,830 advisories were issued, almost one in ten of which were due to date codes not being visible.
“While the numbers for March were better, test failures owing to old tyres remain unacceptably high,” Lloyd said. “Logistics UK will continue to work with DVSA and other stakeholders to issue best practice guidance on tyre husbandry – a safety-critical element of fleet management.”
*www.logistics.org.uk/road
Published On: 15/04/2021 17:00:04
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