Month: April 2022

The UKCOA and some of its members were at the UK Coach Rally on 9 and 10 April. Peter Bradley was a judge – judging on appearance, accessibility and comfort.

 

Following feedback, the Maintenance Investigation Visit Reports (MIVR), which DVSA carries out to ensure operators have the right systems and facilities in place to maintain their vehicles, are changing.

The MIVR assessment guides are being combined and updated to reflect this. The guides are used by DVSA staff to help them complete the report during a site visit. These reports can be given to the Traffic Commissioners if the operator’s systems or facilities are not good enough.

Operators will always receive a copy of these reports, along with other feedback to help them improve if necessary.

There are some updates to what DVSA will be checking on MIVR visits, some of them include:

• clear evidence walkaround checks are not carried out
• vehicles being used with reported safety defects
• clear evidence of poor maintenance standards resulting in safety-critical defects
• deliberately modified emissions control systems or removal of the manufacturers emissions plate values
• clear evidence of a tyre manufactures date code being modified or removed
• there is no genuine link between the transport manager and the operation

DVSA recommends operators read about the changes to ensure they stay compliant.

The guide for operators on MIVR includes helpful links on improving your maintenance systems.

Updated HGV and PSV manuals were published on 11 April 2022.

You can read the updated HGV and PSV manuals on the gov.uk website.

The changes come into effect from 1 May. The DVSA is contacting operators now to make them aware and give them time to prepare their vehicles for their annual test.

The main changes are:

• definition of front steering axle added to the interpretation of terms section
• mandatory requirement to advise when an assessor is not able to see the age markings for twin wheel fitments has been removed
• the anti-roll bar section has been merged with the general suspension section
• additional Braking Device deficiencies for wiring have been amended to remove duplication with Electrical Wiring and Equipment
• clarification notes added to the Direction Indicators section on combined side indicators and side marker lamps fitted to a vehicle or trailer
• section 72 has been updated to give guidance on secondary brake alterative split options

Other changes have been made and are explained in detail at the beginning of the manual in the ‘Revision of Record’ section.

Westminster City Council approached the UKCOA at the end of March over coach engine idling. It was a specific issue involving three coaches all run by different operators. However, it came with a warning. ‘Please ask your members and all coach operators to switch off their engines when they are parked or stationary for any length of time. Otherwise, you risk losing further coach facilities in London’.

For more information please see Managing Director Peter Bradley’s latest article in Bus and Coach Buyer.

Due to roadworks, there will be a full closure of Bridge Street between Victoria Embankment and Parliament Square.

Westminster Bridge will be closed to most vehicles and it is unlikely that coaches will be allowed.

• 05:00 Thursday 7 April until 23:30 Friday 22 April