The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is to increase its work in enforcement while also establishing an ‘Earned Recognition’ type scheme for commercial vehicle operators under its five-year strategy.
The plans are outlined in the agency’s document for 2017-22 which puts a focus on road safety announces plans for piloting alternative methods for vehicle testing and enforcement, including remote enforcement, with the DVSA looking to increase its revenue from fixed penalties – the plan is to get to a point where the penalties fully pay for the enforcement work, with any surplus to be reinvested in new and improved services for customers.
The DVSA also said it plans to explore the case for allowing exemplary commercial vehicle operators to test their own vehicles if they share their testing data.
Other plans include enhancements to MoT tests to ensure tests keep up with new technology in vehicles, such as emissions control technology while driving tests will be evaluated to ensure they’re up to speed with developments such as driverless cars and driving lessons will explore opportunities such as virtual reality.
BVRLA director of policy & membership Jay Parmar welcomed the changes and said: “We look forward to working with the agency as it focuses its resources, and we believe the planned Earned Recognition scheme will enable operators who are committed to high standards to operate more freely, and it creates the right environment for DVSA to target non-compliance more effectively.”
However, with the DVLA also having published its strategic plan for the next three years, the BVRLA expressed concern that “neither agency seems focused on working with the other and all motorists would welcome greater collaboration for a one-stop-motoring service”.
