Keltruck Ltd gain VOSA approval for three Approved Testing Facility sites at West Bromwich Head Office, Burton on Trent and Worksop following conversions to existing property.
From October 2010 vehicle operators can contact Keltruck Ltd to arrange their mandatory annual vehicle testing.
Keltruck management team have worked very closely with VOSA over the last few months to develop the facilities to offer testing with convenience while upholding the highest standards of impartiality and independence.
The facilities will enable customers, new and old, to have all types of commercial vehicles and trailers tested. In addition to that the facilities will be fully available for both Bus and Coach operators alike.
Keltruck Ltd have modern facilities coupled with a bespoke computerised planning and booking system that as well as being able to handle thousands of vehicle’s testing requirements enables the operator to take advantage of additional services whilst the vehicle is on site. These include full workshop and bodyshop facilities, tachograph calibration and testing, steam cleaning, headlight alignment just to name a few.
The West Bromwich site had a two lane, four bay redevelopment in 2008-9 where the new testing facility will be based. The site is based at Junction 1, M5, thus giving a convenient location for the testing facility. Neil Vazey, General Manager – West Bromwich, Keltruck Ltd commented, “I’m pleased that we are again extending our services to customers and delighted to say that customers are already contacting us to secure booking slots even before we have opened.”
The Burton on Trent site has been a familiar MOT ‘Designated Premises’ in the Burton area for over ten years, recently upgrading to PSV testing status earlier this year. Jonathan Hodgkiss, Branch Manager, Keltruck Ltd – Burton on Trent commented, “Great to be the first in the area to pilot an ATF site.”
The Worksop site was a newly built site in 2007 making it the most recent of the Keltruck’s 16 locations throughout the Midlands Region. Located on the former Manton Colliery site, Keltruck at Worksop has been busy looking after some 1200 trailers for B&Q plc and handling all of their MOT requirements. Tony Jarman, Branch Manager, Keltruck Ltd – Worksop commented “We are the first ATF site on the Worksop side of the Pennines and are delighted to be offering extended services to our customer base.”
The strategic locations for the facilities were planned around decreasing travelling time, reducing pollution and increasing road safety.
The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) provides a range of licensing, testing and enforcement services and plays a key role in delivering the Government’s road safety strategy.
VOSA’s Testing Transformation Strategy will move testing closer to where vehicles are maintained and repaired. The introduction of Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFs) will allow for testing by VOSA at the premises of fleet operators, owners and maintainers. The changes will offer greater customer choice and flexibility and reduce overall vehicle ‘downtime’. The approach builds on VOSA’s extensive experience of testing at VOSA and private sector sites, whilst ensuring the responsibility for signing-off vehicle roadworthiness is retained by the Agency.
