The traffic commissioners (TC) have called on operators to improve their approach to brake testing after warning that the issue of poor brake testing is appearing “far too frequently” during enforcement investigations.
The industry regulators said that many operators are failing to carry out testing at the frequency required under O-licensing law, or at all, and are recording too little on brake test documentation to offer any meaningful assessment, or not recording any information.
They said that despite the clear message that was sent to the haulage industry after the Bath tipper case, in which poor brake maintenance led to the deaths of four people in 2015, TCs are still receiving reports of a lack of effective brake performance testing regimes.
TCs Sarah Bell and Kevin Rooney, the lead TCs for enforcement, urged operators to conduct a review of their brake testing procedures.
They said: “This should include an analysis of safety inspection records over the last 15 months, looking at whether the type of test and the information recorded is sufficient.
“Operators must make sure their brake tests are planned in line with DVSA guidance and satisfy themselves that the vehicles and trailers running under their licence are roadworthy.
“This is not limited to a specific type of licence, size of operator or a particular sector – it is across the board. That is why TCs are highlighting the need for a change of attitude within the industry towards brake testing.
“There should be no compromise in any operator’s approach, no flexibility around standards.”
They referred operators to the DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, which states that every safety inspection must include a metered assessment of braking performance of vehicles and trailers, rather than a road test.
They said recent cases at public inquiry (PI) have included:
The DVSA said around a quarter of the vehicles found with defects have a brake issue of some sort.
