The RHA has just issued this notification:

The Department for Transport (DfT) is consulting on making changes to the HGV roadworthiness test requirements which, should the proposals go ahead, would apply to Earned Recognition operators only. This follows a DfT review last year on whether it was worth changing the way tests are currently conducted for Earned Recognition operators.

The consultation covers four possible options:

1) to increase the time between tests

2) to allow delegated testing

3) to reduce the test content

4) to improve the service DVSA provides to Earned Recognition operators to minimise testing burdens

The RHA intends to respond to the DfT consultation in the following manner:

The RHA’s supports the principles of delegated testing and increased time between tests, and that these should be extended to include operators who score “green” under DVSA’s Operator Compliance Risk Score system. However, the RHA believes it would be best to trial the increased time between tests, so that potential safety issues can be addressed.

Furthermore, the RHA does not support the reduction of test content on safety grounds. Regarding the final option, the RHA’s stance is that all operators should be treated equally by DVSA in terms of the service provision given.

If you would like to feed through comments to inform the RHA’s response, then please send them to RHA Policy Lead – Environment and Vehicles Chris Ashley via [email protected] by 31 May 2023.

If you would like to respond to the DfT consultation directly, you can do so here. The deadline for responses is 11.45pm on 9 June 2023.