Rules rationalised on sideguard tests
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by Karen Miles • The Government is to change the rules concerning sideguards in a move which will end the sudden upsurge in annual test failures.
The decision by transport minister Baroness Hayman follows several months of controversy which saw operators finding trucks which had previously passed their annual tests suddenly failing. It occured after Vehicle Inspectorate annual testing staff started applying the sideguards rules strictly.
The baroness has agreed to amend some aspects of the current regulations so that vehicles fitted with sideguards that do not cover the entire side of the vehicle, and currently fall foul of current Construction & Use Regulations, will become officially legal.
The Department of Transport says the move is a C ommonsense measure which will not endanger road safety.
The change follows complaints from industry trade associations, bodybuilders and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Operators have told Commerical Motor that confusion was such that at some test stations, vehicles were being failed and identical units were being passed the following day.