CONVERSION KITS: 'DON'T BE STAMPEDED' WARNING
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THE new braking regulations with respect to existing vehicles after 1972, or whenever the phrasing period ended, referred only to brake efficiency, Mr. G. Turvey, assistant secretary of the Traders Road Transport Association told the Association's Surrey and South Middlesex area this week.
Some people seemed to be under the mistaken impression that the full new vehicle constructional and Code of Practice requirements would have to be met eventually by all existing vehicles. This was not so and pre-1968 vehicles would only have to attain the minimum standards. No new constructional requirements were laid down or being laid down for pre-1968 vehicles and trailers.
Operators should not be stampeded into buying full conversion units unless they wished to bring their vehicles in line with "new vehicles" on both the constructional and efficiency aspects of braking. In some cases such full conversion was worthwhile, but the choice rested solely with the operator.
Tractor/trailer compatibility, with regard to plating, was being considered by the Association's articulated vehicle sub-committee which was to meet later in the week to consider the BRS proposals.
In principle the Association favoured the utmost flexibility. It had been suggested that it might be preferable to leave individual operators to draw up their own matching charts for their own fleets, subject, of course, to compliance with broad guidelines laid down by the Ministry.
"Simplicity and ease of understanding, particularly for drivers and weighbridge attendants, must be the keynotes in considering this difficult problem", said Mr. Turvey.
Taskers Growth: As part of a massive expansion programme Taskers is extending its North and and Midlands branch factory on the Skelmersdale New Town Industrial estate by another 15,000 sq. ft. Taskers factories now occupy about j million sq. ft. and employ over 800.