An evaluation of existing MOT test standards and frequency took account of the views and evidence offered by a wide range of organisations, including VOSA and MOT testing stations.

The government has decided to retain the existing rules on MOT test frequency.

Transport Secretary Justine Greening says: “Our garages are crucial to ensuring that Britain’s roads continue to be among the safest in the world. Most are doing good work but the latest data shows that there is room for improvement.

“I want each motorist to be confident that a visit to the garage ends with their car repaired to a high standard by reputable mechanics rather than uncertainty about cost and the quality of service.

“Giving drivers the very best information about garage performance is absolutely key to achieving this goal. It means that responsible garages will be well placed to reap the commercial benefits of transparency. Garages where performance is not up to scratch will find themselves under pressure to do more for their customers.”

As a result, the government will work with industry, motoring organisations and consumer groups to focus on the reliability and standards of all garages – not just MOT stations – to:

· Work with motoring organisations to find out what problems motorists experience and enable them to share examples of good customer service – in particular to find ways to make it easier for customers to give feedback on their experiences of garages in a way that others can see – potentially in the manner of existing online hotel and restaurant review websites.

· Shine a light on the performance of MOT testing stations by releasing hitherto unpublished VOSA survey data on whether the sector is complying with test standards. This is published today at www.vosa.gov.uk/fleet-compliance-survey

· Encourage the take up of industry codes of practice – and expand them to include MOT testing – so that customers can find garages signed up to schemes delivering the highest standards and take action if they have not received the service they expect.

· Help motorists to spot “clocked” second-hand vehicles, by changing MOT certificates so that they carry the last three years’ mileage information as well as the mileage on the day of the test, and encourage car buyers to check full MOT histories using the online MOT database.

· Arrange “mystery shopper” tests to help improve performance in addition to those already carried out by VOSA.

Joaquim Lopes Mello aged 33 years was sentenced to six months on each charge (to run concurrent) and was disqualified from driving in the UK for 12 months. He has been on remand since the end of October 2011 and will serve the rest of his sentence prior to release.

Lopes Mello was initially stopped by VOSA at the Todhills check site on the M6 near to Carlisle. This is the second vehicle and driver from this company to be investigated by VOSA and Cumbria Police. The vehicle was seized and examined along with tachograph records and other documentation prior to the driver being arrested. Following interview in which the driver denied the offences he was charged and remanded in custody due to the likelihood of his failing to answer bail.

The case was committed to be heard at Carlisle Crown Court and on the 23 January 2012 Lopes Mello pleaded guilty to the charges.

A previous case heard at Carlisle Crown Court in October 2011 saw a colleague of Lopes Mello, Mohammed Issiali jailed for 6 months on 6 counts of Making a False Instruments, namely tachograph charts.

Sergeant Graeme Hodgson from the Road Policing Unit led the investigation for Cumbria Constabulary. “PCs Ivison and McKeown have continued to target this company together with our colleagues from VOSA following the stopping of the first vehicle as the intelligence was very good. The Courts have given us 100% backing with the sentencing of drivers who are shown to systematically falsify their tachograph charts and drive excessive hours, creating a very real danger for all road users.”

“A confiscation order has been applied for in relation to the vehicle driven by Lopes Mello at the time of his being stopped and HH Judge Baty has ordered that the company represent themselves in a months’ time in relation to this.”

Cumbria Constabulary and VOSA continue to target hauliers who deliberately flout the law and have a number of other investigations currently under way with other individuals awaiting court.

VOSA also plans to further simplify the test with a trial allowing testers to carry out a visual smoke test in the first place, completing a metered test if smoke is visible.

Up-to-date inspection manuals for each class of vehicle can be found online at www.vosa.gov.uk/vehicle-testing-manuals-and-guides

Highlights include a rise in new HGV operator license applications (from 5750 to 5900) though the overall number of HGV operator licences fell from 91,200 to 87,747.

In testing services, first time failure rates have improved, falling from 27.4% to 25.5% for HGVs, 20.9% to 18.8% for trailers and 23.9% to 20.4% for PSVs. In enforcement, VOSA has issued £2.5 million in fixed penalties and deposits.

Last September, the Office of the Traffic Commissioner sent questionnaires out to all standard O-license holders listed within the operator licensing database.

The questionnaire was designed so that each operator could provide the information required for the national register and show that they are compliant with the new EU Regulations.

Most operators have responded to the questionnaire, and for most of you, this is the only action that will need to be taken.

It is vital that those of you who have not yet completed and returned your questionnaire do so immediately. Failure to return the questionnaire may result in regulatory action being taken against their licence.

If you hold a standard O-licence but have not yet received a letter and questionnaire, email enquiries@vosa.gov.uk or telephone VOSA on 0300 123 9000.

ATFs are part of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency’s (VOSA) initiative to reduce costs to industry and take testing close to customers. Having undertaken market analysis to establish the likely ATF take up around existing VOSA sites, VOSA will cease testing at its Sheffield and Taunton test stations by the end of August 2012 and Purfleet by the end of October 2012.

VOSA Chief Executive Alastair Peoples said: “I am delighted that so far 150 companies have invested in opening ATFs and are saving thousands of pounds in reduced fuel costs, vehicle downtime and salaries.

“It is essential to provide good value for money services and reduce costs to the industry and I am very pleased with VOSA’s progress in supporting the development of an ATF network where the same high standard independent tests can be provided to our customers by VOSA staff.”

Local staff will be involved in options development for future delivery of operations in these areas with VOSA staff delivering heavy goods and public service vehicle testing from ATFs.

It is expected that deregulation of the fee will:

· Allow the Approved Tachograph Centres and vehicle operators to negotiate a fair fee for the calibration and inspection of tachographs

· Result in geographical variations in cost being accounted for

· Better support vehicle operators looking to have tachographs calibrated during unsociable hours,

· “Future-proof” calibration/inspection against technological changes which will affect how much work will be involved in the inspection and calibration of tachographs

· Remove the need for future Government involvement in fee setting

· Incentivise companies considering becoming an Approved Tachograph Centre

From January the fee charged by Approved Tachograph Centres will be a commercial matter to be agreed with the customer presenting the vehicle.

The existing fees are still in place up to and including the 31st December 2011.

VOSA’s Chief Executive Alastair Peoples said: “Deregulation will benefit the industry, giving tachograph centres the opportunity to recoup their costs while providing a more flexible service to the customers.”

A summary of the consultation responses can be found on Business Link by clicking on the attached link: http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/publications/consultationsandresearch/2007-2011closedconsultations/consultationonproposedchangestothefeeschargedbyatcs.htm

From 1st January 2012, revised European legislation will introduce new requirements to annual vehicle tests to reflect advances in technology. The changes include additional checks for some of the vehicle systems already examined such as brakes, steering suspension and lighting. There will also be brand new safety checks on the increasing number of on-board electrical safety systems, including electronic stability control, but these new elements will not fail the test in Britain until later in 2012. This will give vehicle testers and owners time to prepare for the new test items.

Tests carried out on cars, vans, heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches will be affected.

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency Chief Executive Alastair Peoples said: “The MoT test is designed to make sure that a vehicle is fit to be on the road and so it needs to be updated to reflect new vehicle technology.”

“We have worked with the industry to prepare them for these changes to make sure that the measures are introduced in the least burdensome way possible.”

New checks will be included on a number of items including:

· Anti-lock braking systems / Electronic stability control systems

· Tyre pressure monitoring systems

· Supplementary restraint systems including airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners

· Electronic power steering systems

· Electronic parking brakes

These changes are a result of European legislation. More information on the changes to the MoT is available at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/publications/manualsandguides/vehicletestingmanualsandguides.htm

VOSA and the police have this week started issuing leaflet warnings to UK and foreign drivers from, highlighting potential penalties of a fine of £5,000 fine or two years in jail.

These warnings must be backed by action by VOSA and the police bringing drivers swiftly before the courts, the RHA says. That is especially true of foreign drivers. Whereas UK drivers can normally be easily traced, it is tempting to take lesser action against foreign drivers because of the practicalities of getting them into court.

Distorting the tachograph record in this way is commonly used to disguise gross abuses of drivers’ hours rules, which is a major road safety hazard. It also distorts fair competition and pushes others to break the rules.

“We have been stressing the ministers that the UK must send out a clear signal that the use of magnets is a really serious offence will not be tolerated in this country,” RHA Director of Policy Jack Semple said.

“There is an important message here, also, for the magistrates courts. We look to them to reflect the seriousness of the offence in their penalties, including revoking the licence of guilty drivers,” Semple said.

Construction is now underway of a VOSA Authorised Test Facility (ATF) at the Ipswich headquarters of Orwell, the approved Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle agent for East Anglia. The ATF is scheduled to open in Autumn this year so will be fully up and running in time for the closure of VOSA’s Ipswich based testing station which was announced recently.

VOSA, the government’s Vehicle and Operator Services Authority, until recently carried out all mandatory annual MoT tests of heavy trucks at its own centres. Now though, the private sector has been allowed to offer Authorised Testing for the first time – and Orwell has been quick to seize the opportunity to offer operators a quick and convenient local service.

Business Development Manager Ryan Cory explained: “We’ve always prepared vehicles for MoT testing, but the big advantage for our Customers is that they will soon be able to have their tests carried out on our premises close to the A12/A14, without the need for a time-consuming trip to a VOSA site. Customers can also have tests done when their vehicles are in for routine maintenance or repair; this means their trucks will spend less time off the road.

“This development will also offer us the opportunity to market our services to new customers, even those who operate other makes of truck. We are confident that once they have experienced the quality of our people, products and enhanced facilities, they will become a loyal Orwell Truck & Van customer.”

The ATF testing bay, which represents an investment of over £600,000, will be housed in a stand-alone, drive-through lane – Orwell also already offers MoT testing of class 7 vehicles but this will be further extended to include Class 4 (Cars and Light vans) testing and a Tachograph calibration centre.

“Our aim is to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for everything our Customers require,” added Ryan. “Whatever your truck or van needs, the answer is simple – bring it to Orwell.”

Our picture shows Ryan Cory, Jonathan Ager, Stephen Webb and David Grant (Managing Director)
 

The Vehicle and Operator Agency’s (VOSA) ‘Staying Legal – the Basics’ guide has won the Print Innovation Award at the 2011 Good Communication Awards.

VOSA began distributing the fold-out pocket guide to HGV and PSV drivers at the roadside in March and, to date, 50,000 have been given out. It gives simple tips on drivers’ hours rules, vehicle condition and the responsibilities of the professional driver.

Kevin Rooney, VOSA’s Head of Communications, said: “Our ‘Staying Legal’ guide is an important tool in helping to improve road safety and it is great that it has been recognised in this way. We worked hard to produce a guide which is comprehensive, easy to use and tough enough to withstand regular use on the road and we are proud of the result..

“Driver education is a vital part of our work and we know we need to be really innovative to get the correct information direct to drivers. The challenge for us is to help drivers from the UK and abroad to understand the rules quickly and simply so that they can be confident that they are staying legal.”

“I truly believe that this guide will make a big contribution to road safety and save lives.

Josh Knight, Head of Distribution (South West) at Royal Mail Logistics said: “It’s nice to know that VOSA is producing information that is easily understood by all members of the transport trade and in a format that foreign drivers have no problem in understanding.”

“The ‘Staying Legal’ leaflets were given to our drivers who have made a number of comments praising the way the information is displayed. They believe the leaflet has been designed for the drivers rather than office staff and managers. The diagrams are easy to understand and clearly show the link between daily hours, how they impact on the rest requirements and period driving hours.

VOSA is handing out the guide at its roadside checks and copies have also been made available at truck stops. It can also been downloaded from www.vosa.gov.uk and a paper copy can be printed off

The Vehicle & Operator Services Agency (VOSA), part of the Department for Transport which runs the facility, plans to transfer operations to private garages and operators across the north west as part of a cost-cutting measure prompted by government cuts.

However, the union is warning that:

· Owners of the 14 garages VOSA has identified to take the

work have indicated that they do not want, or are unable to handle an

increased capacity of tests

· Facilities at the Kirkby site will be lost and this means

that corners will be cut if testing takes place within current

standard times at other sites with poorer facilities

· Closing the biggest testing site in the region will cause

inevitable delays to tests leading to HGVs being taken off the road

or worse, un-roadworthy vehicles continuing to use the public highway.

Peter Middleman, Regional Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said: “Despite their promises before the election, here is yet another example of essential, front-line public services being cut to pay off a debt caused by city bankers and financial speculators. This time, it’s our skilled and dedicated members and the local haulage industry who will find themselves worse off. In the event that dangerous vehicles do find their way back on the road, the potential consequences for all motorists are truly frightening”.

Twenty five testing and administration staff at the site will be taking part in the public sector strike on 30th June and VOSA union representatives are considering further industrial action throughout the summer.

The Kirkby VOSA site tests 15,000 HGVs and Public Service Vehicles every year.

For the second year running, VOSA is not proposing any across-the-board fee increase and most of the proposals will be revenue neutral. The changes affect fees for HGV and PSV testing, operator licensing and non-statutory checks and tests.

The main changes proposed in the consultation are:

· no general rise in statutory fees for the second year running

· reductions in fees which VOSA charges for tests non-VOSA test facilities balanced by increases fees at VOSA facilities to reflect the respective costs to the agency

· reductions in fees for applications for standard PSV operator licences balanced by increases for applications for restricted licences to rebalance fees to reflect the cost of processing those applications

· small (2% to 4.6%) increases in HGV and PSV operator licence fees to cover the cost of a national register of HGV and PSV operators and their transport managers, to help level professional standards across the EU

· fees for voluntary services, such as brake checks and non-statutory roadworthiness tests, to rise in line with general cost increases in addition to the effects of changes to test fees at VOSA facilities.

VOSA Chief Executive Alastair Peoples said:  “I’m pleased that VOSA will be able to avoid any general increase in fees for the second year running and am keen to hear the views of our customers on the rest of our proposals.

The consultation also seeks views on some elements of the role of Traffic Commissioners.

The full consultation can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2011-18 and is open from today till 28 July 2011.

The Agency has announced its commitment to new private facilities in Gloucester and in Barry – the first open access ATF in Wales.

James Firth, FTA’s Head of Road Freight and Enforcement Policy, said: “VOSA is really showing it means business with its Testing Transformation Programme. ATFs should mean reduced costs for operators by bringing the point of test closer to the point of maintenance and therefore reduce vehicle downtime, the fuel for journey from maintenance to test and the cost of a skilled fitter’s time driving to test. For some larger operators who have invested in private ATFs for their own fleet there is a palpable sense of excitement at the new-found flexibility this programme allows them.”

VOSA also announced the closure of three more test stations in Liverpool, Glasgow and Gloucester and indicated that there was further interest in private capacity being established in these areas.

Firth continued: “Obviously an operator based next to Bishopbriggs Goods Vehicle Testing Station in Glasgow is going to feel aggrieved at having to get their vehicles to Bellshill – the nearest ATF – for tests. But with this announcement operators will not be left feeling high and dry, not knowing where they will test their vehicles as they did – and remain so – following the November announcement of the closure of Mitcham Test Station in Surrey. While the like-for-like capacity and capability of the alternative facilities in Gloucester, Liverpool and Glasgow remain to be examined, the understood principle of establishing private capacity before closing VOSA test stations appears to have been acknowledged in this announcement.”

Last Friday three members of the same family, PJ Boyle director of Boyle Transport Ltd based in Camlough, Newry, Mark Boyle, also a director and Neil Boyle appeared at Carlisle Crown Court in relation to Operation Cadillac, the joint VOSA and Cumbria Police investigation into tachograph falsification.

The intelligence led investigation had previously seen 15 drivers plead guilty to falsifying tachograph records. PJ Boyle and Mark Boyle pleaded guilty to conspiring with the drivers to falsify tachograph records, no evidence was offered against Neil Boyle and he was released by the Court.

PJ Boyle, Mark Boyle and the drivers have all been bailed to Carlisle Crown Court for sentencing on 27th and 28th April 2011.

During the course of the investigation, and as a result of a DNA sample obtained whilst in custody for the tachograph offences, one driver, Les Marshall, was arrested by Lancashire Police in relation to a cold case investigation which led to his conviction for a rape offence dating back 20 years. He received a six and a half year custodial sentence for that offence.

Whilst the criminal investigation will be completed with the sentencing of the offenders, there is an on going application by Financial Investigators from both VOSA and the Regional Asset Recovery Team, under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 for the recovery of assets obtained by criminal conduct.

The three parties have signed a Memorandum of Agreement, a formal document which sets out the key principles of VOSA enforcement activities at ports.

The principles are:

Where there is no reasonable alternative to carrying out checks at ports, VOSA should be given access to suitable areas within the ports to enable the checking of vehicles at times agreed with the ports;

Vehicle checks carried out within or in close proximity to ports will be coordinated and conducted at a level which maintains fair competition between the ports and are proportionate to checks carried out at competing ports and inland checkpoints;

The checking of vehicles is to be conducted in such a way as to minimise disruption to the smooth flow of traffic through the port;

All detailed arrangements of how checks will be conducted to be the subject of local agreements between port authorities and VOSA’s operational managers.

VOSA’s Chief Executive Alastair Peoples said: “I am delighted that we have been able to negotiate this agreement which will help VOSA carry out essential checks on vehicles coming into Britain and make sure they are in a fit state to be on the roads.

“VOSA has been working at ports for many years but today’s agreement signals a greater commitment than ever before from ports and terminals to help VOSA carry out its vital work in making Britain’s roads safer.”

Set up under VOSA’s Testing Transformation Programme, ATFs aim to make commercial vehicle annual testing more accessible and flexible for operators by providing it at more locations and at more convenient times.

All the new DAF dealer ATFs will have ‘Open Access’ status, which means that they will provide testing for all makes of vehicle.

P&K Truck Centre in Ellesmere Port in Cheshire has already gone live and began testing on 29th November. Initially they are running two testing days a week – Monday and Thursday – with seven hours of testing on each day starting at 7.00 am. If demand picks up they will consider either extending into the late afternoon/evening or adding further days.

P&K is approved for testing of all types of vehicle, including PSVs, and is particularly well equipped to handle trucks conforming to Petroleum Regulations and tank trailers. As well as providing testing facilities the company can carry out ADR and Safe Load Pass inspections. When possible these can be arranged to take place consecutively with the vehicle test to minimise downtime.

Imperial Commercials at Frome in Somerset start their ATF operation on 7th December, although they have operated as ‘Designated Premises’ since April 2010. Testing will take place on one day, with the first test starting at 8.00 am and the chosen day will vary according to bookings and operator needs.

Both companies have facilities to wash vehicles prior to test, as required by VOSA. They can also carry out pre-test preparation and tachograph calibration.

John McMenamin, Director of Retail Aftersales at DAF, said: “We are encouraging DAF dealers to seize this opportunity to improve their service offering to customers, even those with mixed marque fleets. When allied to DAFcheck, our dealers can offer a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach through which all six-weekly inspections and annual testing can be managed more efficiently, to ensure good compliance, and to be carried out more cost-effectively.

“From an operator’s point of view the new ATF arrangements should prove very beneficial. More local testing means less time spent travelling to and from the test centre, leading to a reduced environmental impact. If that centre is a DAF dealership, then operators will know that any additional services provided will be of a high quality and at a competitive price.”

The RHA is also calling for VOSA to consider the impact on an operator’s OCRS Score in each case where action has been taken recently, and for Traffic Commissioners to look sympathetically on both drivers and operators records should these matters be drawn to their attention.

RHA Chief Executive, Geoff Dunning, said today: “We accept that custom and practice in the industry appears to have fallen behind best practice standards, with customers often insisting on loading practices that do not stand up to recent Health and Safety guidance. It is unreasonable to embark on a new enforcement approach without an agreement across interested parties about a way forward, and the industry being given reasonable notice of the arrangements that they are expected to establish. The RHA is working with

HSE and others to establish a new standard, and we hope to reach agreement soon. In the meantime, we hope that enforcement organisations will be flexible in their approach”

Since 28 May 2009 Graduated Fixed Penalties have been issued by VOSA examiners and those drivers that fail to confirm a satisfactory address within the UK are required to pay the penalty ‘on the spot’.

The rules are part of a wider scheme and depending on the severity of the offence a one off deposit requirement of between £300 and £900 can also be issued. Since the scheme was launched it has generated nearly £ 3.5million.

The number of fixed penalties issued to UK drivers is more than 11,500 and to foreign drivers nearly 22,000.

VOSA Sanctions Manager, Karen Farr said: “The introduction of graduated fixed penalties and deposits has strengthened VOSA’s enforcement capabilities. This has meant that not only has the scheme provided an effective sanction for dealing with offending foreign drivers, but has also proved to be a valuable deterrent to all drivers regardless of nationality.”

“We have already seen increases in compliance for certain offences now that drivers are aware that we are serious about tackling road safety.”

Payment will only be accepted in sterling or using a chip and pin card. Euros will not be accepted. UK drivers will have the usual 28 days to pay the fine or if they choose not to accept the fixed penalty have the case heard in court.

The information, held by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), will be put on the website www.data.gov.uk which is designed to enable people outside of Government to make use of public data.

The details being published are:

• Trading Name

• Address

• Contact Telephone No

• Classes of vehicles tested

• Vehicle Test Station number

VOSA says it will make MOT stations and MOT data more readily available so that complying with road laws becomes easier for motorists.

In January, the agency published a summary of vehicle make/model MOT failure rates on the website.

Bosses of Flixborough-based Intake Transport pleaded guilty to 30 offences of driver’s exceeding legal daily driving periods and not taking the necessary rest.

They were sentenced at Scunthorpe Magistrates court on Monday (17 May) where the firm was fined £500 for each offence and ordered to pay a further £30,000 towards prosecution costs.

Two of the firm’s drivers appeared at court and pleaded guilty to creating false drivers hours records.

Fines were also handed out to six further employees for driving for too long and not taking proper rests. The drivers were fined a total of £3,290 including costs and victims surcharge.

It follows an18-month investigation by government road safety agency Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). Examiners from VOSA began looking at the companies records in December 2008 and discovered that it had been ignoring the regulations which protect the safety of the drivers and other road users.

Alex Fiddes, VOSA Chief Operating Officer said:“Tired drivers run the risk of causing serious or fatal accidents. This case shows what a dim view the courts take of drivers and operators who abuse driver’s hours rules and don’t take proper rests.

VOSA is determined to find and prosecute those people who endanger the lives of other road users in this way.”

Intake Transport will now face a public inquiry before the Traffic Commissioner where it could have its licence to operate revoked.

The information, held by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), will be put on the website www.data.gov.uk which is designed to enable people outside of Government to make use of public data.

The details being published are:

Trading Name
Address
Contact Telephone No
Classes of vehicles tested
Vehicle Test Station number

VOSA says it will make MOT stations and MOT data more readily available so that complying with road laws becomes easier for motorists.

The positive meeting moved forward discussions that will see DfT actively promoting the positive benefits of Code subscription to VOSA garages.

Recognised as the UK’s largest consumer code for motorists, and backed by the Office of Fair Trading, Motor Codes plans to expand its subscriber base to include MOT testing stations as part of VOSA’s requirements for these businesses.

The Motor Codes team demonstrated to Mr Clark its capability to extend the self-regulatory Code of Practice to the entire service and repair industry, enhancing and maintaining standards across the sector. This latest meeting builds on earlier DfT encouragement of MOT centres to subscribe to the  Code to identify themselves as trustworthy businesses.

“We are proud of the high levels of support that Motor Codes has gained from various government departments, consumer groups and industry,” said Chris Mason, Motor Codes director. “As discussed today with the DfT, our plans for this year focus on recruiting MOT service stations and demonstrating to them how the Service and Repair Code can enhance their good customer service image, complementing the high standards set by VOSA.”

Only last week, IAAF Garage chairman Jonas Zambakides sang the praises of Motor Codes. He said that the whole service and repair industry could benefit from the improved reputation that Code subscription offers and went on to say that the sector had been “crying out for a reliable and cost effective means of self-regulation” – now offered by Motor Codes.

Motor Codes will soon announce the regional winners of its Golden Garages competition. The national hunt for the best service and repair centre in Britain has generated in excess of 6,600 public nominations at www.goldengarages.co.uk. The national Golden Garage will be named on 6 April.

Following a ten week investigation by the VOSA Eastern Region investigations team, Coach Operator, EPI Coaches Ltd were found guilty of 63 drivers’ hours offences at Croydon Magistrates Court.

On Monday 25 January the court imposed a fine of £217,500 and ordered the company to pay VOSA’s costs of £37,065.

EPI Coaches Ltd were initially investigated by VOSA last June in to the apparent abuse of EC drivers’ hours regulations. Multiple offences concerning failure to take adequate rest and other tachograph abuses were found.

The company were offered the opportunity to be interviewed by VOSA several times but failed to attend.

Alex Fiddes Operations Director for VOSA said: “This is a substantial fine and should send a strong message to the Public Service Vehicle industry.

Tired drivers are dangerous drivers. This case really highlights the consequences of breaching drivers’ hours regulations.

VOSA are dedicated to improving road safety and a large proportion of that is ensuring drivers are adhering to the rules set in place.”

Tony Khan, aged 52 was the sole director of EPI Coaches at the time of the court case which was authorised to use 20 vehicles.

The case against eleven drivers who worked for the company has been adjourned until 16 February 2010.

However, foreign trucks operating on UK roads, are not as well maintained, according to VOSA figures.

Roadside prohibitions rose by 1,800 last year. And in the year to the end of March 2009 the number of UK roadside checks on foreign-registered trucks and trailers rocketed, with prohibitions up almost 10,000 to 24,493.

The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), The Highways Agency, Transport Scotland and Traffic Wales have all signed up to the government backed Road Safety Action Plan and will combine on various initiatives to target rogue haulage operations.

HGVs account for about four per cent of road traffic accidents in the UK, but they had a “disproportionate impact” on the subsequent congestion, causing 20 per cent of all incident-related congestion.

The FTA has been strongly critical of VOSA’s plans to close test centres without having any viable alternatives in place.  In the past few months alone, three centres have been closed, leaving commercial vehicle operators high and dry and with no alternative but to travel some distance to fulfil their legal duty.

Peter Staines, Vice Chairman of the FTA’s Road Freight Council and member of the South East England Freight Council, said: “If I change my maintenance arrangements for my fleet I need to get the Traffic Commissioner’s nod that they are ok.  By closing test stations, VOSA is changing the arrangements for annual testing on hundreds of operators so why not get the Traffic Commissioners to check that the alternative arrangements offered by VOSA will not jeopardise road safety and operating practices?”

This year VOSA has closed three test centres, in Cornwall, Cheshire and Wales, with a fourth schedule

d for closure in West Yorkshire, early next year.  The seemingly random closures have made it more expensive and difficult for hauliers to find suitable testing facilities, adding pressure to an already fully-stretched system of testing.
James Hookham, FTA’s Managing Director of Policy and Communications, concluded:

“The bottom line is road safety, and, especially in this heavy recession, we should not be making it harder and more expensive for honest, compliant operators to meet their roadworthiness commitments.”

The Judge at Ipswich Crown Court heard from prosecuting Barrister, Miles Bennett how the son had allowed his name to be used on tachograph record sheets to hide excess driving and insufficient rest.

Father, Colin Linder was sentenced to six months in prison after knowingly making 20 false records and disqualified from driving for 12 months. His son Sean Newson, also the CPC holder was sentenced to four months for knowingly falsifying 16 tachograph records due to, as the Judge described “misguided loyalty towards his father”.

The Judge at Ipswich Crown Court has sent a clear message out to the industry – drivers who allow their names to be used on tachographs records by others will face a custodial sentence.

Alex Fiddes, Chief Operating Officer for VOSA said: ‘’This case highlights the severity of fraudulent records. ‘’We are dedicated in improving road safety and a large proportion of that is ensuring drivers are adhering to the rules. We take falsification of tachograph records extremely seriously. As this case has proved it can result in a prison sentence.”

No costs were incurred by either perpetrator due to their financial circumstances.

Kevin Reid, the investigating VOSA Traffic Examiner has been awarded a Judges Commendation for his diligence in the case.

The European Commission have taken advantage of this opportunity by organising a conference to coincide with the 10th anniversary, which will see representatives ranging from Directors to Examiners working side by side for two days.

The conference will include a roadside check and interactive workshops, with the emphasis being placed on cargo securing and roadside technical checks. VOSA have been invited to speak on the subject of technical checks, an area in which many countries recognise VOSA’s expertise.

A great deal of work has been undertaken since ECR was created in 1999. ECR now boasts fourteen member states, bound by an Administrative Arrangement signed by the Transport Ministers from each country, and six observers. The ultimate objective of ECR continues to be the improvement of safety on European roads by harmonisation.

VOSA continues to take the lead in Europe in many ways. The agency  hosted the pilot European enforcement conference at a management level in September 2008. The pilot was successful, and Euro Controle Route has confirmed that they will continue to support this type of work. Managers will have the chance to take part in a similar conference in the Netherlands later this year.

Commenting, RHA Head of Communications Kate Gibbs said: “Of course we support the intention of bringing vehicle testing closer to operators and improving the flexibility of testing hours but we fear that these benefits may fail to materialise in practice.”

“Change is inevitable and we appreciate VOSA’s efforts to engage with the industry. However, we are concerned that these efforts have not gone far enough to ensure that the service to hauliers will not be compromised either in terms of cost or site availability.”

At the request of the RHA’s Midlands and Western Regional Director, Mike Farmer, VOSA recently called a meeting attended by 85 operators at which they revealed that the site had been sold to a leading supermarket chain and was part of the transformation of testing. This includes moving testing from VOSA sites (the majority of which will face closure) to a new system of contracted sites; Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFs).

Despite the fact that the Llandrindod Wells testing station is due to close in three days time, as yet there is still no agreement with a local ATF provider. In addition, it seems unlikely that any local firm entering into such a contract would be capable of taking large articulated trucks or would be prepared to commit to such an undertaking due, in no small part, to the financial investment needed..

“Hauliers are already facing uncertain future and this represents an additional worry that they can well do without,” Gibbs concluded.