DVSA will introduce a local appeal process for disputed heavy vehicle annual test results on 28 February. It will include coaches and buses within its scope and enable operators to ask DVSA to review part of a test or a test result without having to lodge a statutory appeal to the Secretary of State for Transport via form VTP17.
The Agency says that introducing a local appeals process will allow it to offer a “quick review” of the decision and “provide a consistent service to all of our annual test customers.”
It remains the case that efforts should be made to discuss or resolve any issues at the time of test before a local appeal is submitted, which must be done within two working days of the test result.
Registering a local appeal against a heavy vehicle test result can be done via email or by phone to DVSA’s customer service centre. Submissions should include information related to the vehicle, its operator, the test date and location and details of the disagreement. DVSA will contact the appellant within two days of receiving the appeal. A reinspection will be arranged if required, at which point only failure items will be examined.
“We aim to complete the local appeal within five days and produce a report to indicate whether the original decision stands or a new decision has been made,” the Agency says. “The outcome will be recorded against the vehicle or trailer and sent to the person who made the appeal.”
Use of the local appeal process does not affect use of the statutory appeal mechanism, and submission of a local appeal will not affect any subsequent statutory appeal process.
