New vehicle testing Bill approved

Legislation that will see responsibility for commercial vehicle testing transfer from local authorities to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), has been approved by the Cabinet.

The change follows an investigative review after the deaths of six schoolchildren in bus crashes in Kentstown, Co Meath, and Clara, Co Offaly, in 2006.

Under the Road Safety (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Bill 2012, a commercial vehicle tester will have to apply to the RSA for a fixed-term licence and will be subject to regular audits. A roadside inspections programme will also be introduced.

As part of the changes the RSA will seek to reduce the number of testing centres from the current level of over 150. In the UK, there are just over 70 test centres for a larger fleet.

A national booking system, similar to that used by the NCT, will also be introduced as part of a move to standardise testing across the country. The RSA has issued a tender for this system.

The Bill is based on recommendations put forward by PwC in 2007 following a review of commercial testing after Kentstown.

These were accepted by then minister for Transport Noel Dempsey but drafting of the Bill was delayed due to disagreements over the transfer of local authority staff to the RSA.

Under the Bill, 14 local authority staff, mainly mechanics, will transfer to the authority to carry out inspections.

Some 19 per cent of all road fatalities in Ireland involve commercial vehicles.