COMPLAINING TO THE VEHICLE INSPECTORATE
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• Many operators do not bother complaining to the VI because they fear it will make the situation worse.
Rather than making a formal complaint they keep quiet because they claim the reprisals would be disastrous for their business.
One dealer says: "You can't call into question the Integrity of the testers because then the whole system falls down. "I don't want to think there's an integrity problem," he adds, "just an attitude problem. If you did, you don't know what the consequences would be for future tests. Every day it's a battle."
Another issue that frustrates transport firms is the apparent lack of adequate warning they are given about changes in regulations before vehicles are put in for test.
However. the VI refutes this: "We send out regular newsletters and provide posters to all operators, keeping them fully informed about any changes." says a spokeswoman.
And she stresses that companies have absolutely nothing to fear from making a complaint against a test centre: "Our standards officers are independent from the test stations and work within the VI." she insists.