‘MOT-style tests way to go’
MOT-STYLE vehicle testing is the way forward to ensure vehicles are safe, States Works general manager Paul Lickley has said.
He said States Works operated one of, if not the largest, commercial garages in Guernsey.
‘We see introduction of MOT-style testing as development and growth,’ he said.
The organisation’s garage maintains the States Works vehicle fleet which ranges from small vans to specialist drainage and road cleansing vehicles.
It also provides fleet management, maintenance and repair services, predominantly to its States of Guernsey clients, but also to private ones.
In the recently released 2018 report, it said that States Works saw this as an area for expansion.
‘We seek to become the preferred provider of fleet management services across the States of Guernsey, an arrangement we hope to develop with key stakeholders during 2019.
‘The team will also seek to consider other potential opportunities that may exist in the form of private, commercial and public service vehicle inspections which is linked to the future introduction of a Ministry of Transport, MOT- style vehicle testing system on the island,’ the report stated.
Mr Lickley said whether testing would be purely for commercial vehicles or whether private vehicles would be included, it wanted to make sure its stakeholders were aware of their interest in pursuing this kind of testing.
He said MOT-style assessment was in the best interest of the safety of vehicle users.
‘Fundamentally, it confirms the safety of a vehicle, which is of paramount importance,' he said.
‘People may say our speed limits don’t warrant those checks but both commercial and private vehicles are driving at higher speeds off-island and we need assurance that vehicles are fit for purpose not just for the safety of owners but for other road users.’
He said that in future, should Guernsey turn to this type of vehicle testing, changes would most likely be made to its La Hure Mare site to accommodate this.
