Hauliers in West Yorkshire who were left massively inconvenienced by VOSA's closure of their local test station in Steeton may finally find a solution when a local garage opens a new HGV test site.
Keighley firm Copperwaite Fleet Management has invested £100,000 to open a test bay at its site, which is due to open at by the end of May.
However it has opted to run the testing operation as a DP (Designated Premises) rather than VOSA's preferred option of an Authorised Testing Facility (ATF).
VOSA's Steeton closed in March after a high-profile battle against the decision. It left operators, including Copperwaite, with a 30-mile journey to Leeds for truck tests.
David Avison, MD at the maintenance and repair company, says: "The extra time and fuel being used to get to Leeds is being reflected in our customer's bills, so they have responded positively to the idea of having a local testing facility."
Two former VOSA employees from Steeton have moved to the firm, while two more jobs are expected to be created.
Avison says the long length of the ATF contract was a major reason for shying away from it. He adds: "I did not want to become an ATF because I did not want to be tied to a five-year contract.
"I am only starting out in testing and this is costing a lot of money; I want to try it out before committing to such a long-term deal."
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