Earned recognition (ER) hauliers will not be allowed to perform annual tests of their own vehicles or be exempt from having their HGVs tested every 12 months, the government has confirmed.
The announcement was described as “hugely disappointing” by Logistics UK.
Following a call for evidence and then follow-up analysis, the department for transport (DfT) said there was not a strong case for letting ER operators conduct their own testing or increasing the time between tests that outweighed potential safety impacts.
This included the impact on the ER regime, the need for legislative change and resource implications.
The DfT also said there had been a lack of support in its call for evidence for reducing the test content for ER hauliers.
Logistics UK said the announcement would be met with disappointment and frustration:
“Delegated testing has always been the main incentive in which operators were encouraged to adopt the ER scheme, so for the government to dismiss the option out of hand is hugely disappointing and frustrating,” said Phil Lloyd, Logistics UK head of engineering policy.
“The industry is united that delegated testing would deliver flexibility and efficiencies for transport operators without compromising safety, and the expectation has always been that self-certification would operate at a standard significantly higher than the voluntary arrangements currently found in the maintenance sector.
“The promised benefits of ER need to materialise soon, and Logistics UK will continue working with the DfT and DVSA to support the initiative, but decisions like this will make the scheme less attractive for operators.”
However, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) said the consultation’s conclusion would provide the sector with “welcome certainty”.
In a statement, the IMI said it also welcomed: “the government’s stated aim to make further service delivery improvements and in this respect it urges consideration be given to create a tiered pass rate to enable more smaller operators to join the ER scheme.
“The IMI will continue to provide insight and feedback to the department for transport on behalf of its members to ensure that the HGV market can operate efficiently and safely,” it added.
The DfT said that it remained committed to the ER regime, along with the DVSA: “The scheme plays an important part in encouraging and promoting industry best practice,” the DfT said.
“In addition, it allows consignors to easily identify those operators that put safety and compliance at the forefront of their operating culture.
“DVSA will continue to work with ER customers and the wider industry to promote the scheme and incentivise best practice.”
