The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) wants to introduce inflation-busting increases in its vocational driving test fees, much to the anger of the haulage industry.
Following VOSA's proposals to raise test fees, the DSA says there is a £14m black hole in its operating expenditure for 2009/10, £4m of which needs to be spent on new services such as the Driver CPC. In addition, it claims an income shortfall due to falling demand means HGV test
fees need to rise by 13.3%.
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) says it is "completely unacceptable" for the DSA to be seeking this massive hike and says a fall in demand should be leading to efficiency savings instead.
"What are they spending their money on?" asks Joan Williams, FTA head of road freight policy. "They shouldn't be introducing anything that doesn't deliver value."
The Road Haulage Association's head of employment, Ruth Pott, adds: "We accept a reasonable inflationary increase, but there's no justification of such high increases."
A DSA spokeswoman says: "DSA will be working closely with industry stakeholders to obtain information and evidence that helps to monitor and measure the impact Driver CPC has had. However, where it is more cost effective and a better use of specific skills, external consultants will be used to help with this work."
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