Stephen Smith – Representing ATFOA, attends Parliament

RHA’s New Year Parliamentary Reception

10 January 2024
ATF Operators Association, ATFOA, Authorised Testing Facility, Stephen Smith, DVSA
Stephen Smith and Moreton Cullimore at the RHA New Year Parliamentary Reception.

Stephen Smith represented ATFOA at the Road Haulage Association (RHA)’s New Year Parliamentary Reception in Westminster. He heard from Jessica Morden MP, Sir Keir Starmer’s Parliamentary Private Secretary; Moreton Cullimore, Chairman of the RHA (pictured above); Guy Opperman MP, Minister for Roads; and Greg Smith MP, Chairman of the Logistics All-Party Parliamentary Group.

Stephen Smith representing ATF Operators – Meeting with the Transport Sectretary, Mark Harper.

ConservativeHome’s Future of Transport Conference

23 January 2024
ATF Operators Association, ATFOA, Authorised Testing Facility, Stephen Smith, DVSA
Stephen Smith with Mark Harper at the ConservativeHome Future of Transport Conference.

Stephen Smith represented the ATFOA at the ConservativeHome Future of Transport Conference in Westminster. He met with the Rt Hon. Mark Harper MP, Secretary of State for Transport, and heard from Guy Opperman MP, Minister for Roads, as well as other representatives.

New Service Vans

We have two new service vans being fitted out which will be on the road in the coming weeks. This will see an increase in the number of vehicles of vans we operate every day, and will create a vacancy for an someone looking to change company or move into this role.

Continued Support During Difficult Times.

There is so much that has changed through 2020 and we have all been faced with new challenges. Throughout these times Boleyn has continued to support both owner drivers, Emergency Services and fleet customers. We have had to change and adapt to meet the needs, but that is what Boleyn have always done, we flex to support the needs of our customers whether old, new or first job.

Our ATF is operating and we continue to offer tests at short notice as well as in advance.

We have adopted a high level of COVID compliance, so you can be assured you are safe at our site and in our trucks.

Hoping you all staff safe and well.

ATF Testing Changes – COVID 19

Below is the latest from the DVSA on 23rd March 2020.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic DVSA has taken the decision to suspend heavy vehicle testing all Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV), trailers and Public Service Vehicles (PSV) for up to 3 months.

DVSA has taken the difficult decision to suspend heavy vehicle testing for 3 months, with immediate effect, invoking Clause 13, Force Majeure, of the contract between DVSA and the Authorised Testing Facilities where these tests are carried out.

From 21 March all HGVs, trailers and PSVs with an annual test to expire in a particular month will be issued with a 3-month certificate of exemption (CTE) until further notice.

We want to ensure that all heavy vehicles and trailers remain legal whilst the country deals with the COVID-19 outbreak. So DVSA will be implementing the provisions within the Plating and Testing Regulations and Motor Vehicle Test Regulations which provide for HGVs, trailers and PSVs to be exempted from the annual roadworthiness test.

Paper certificates will not be re-issued for HGVs, trailers and PSVs but we will amend the digital record so that vehicles can continue to operate.

We’ll be issuing further guidance in due course regarding the exemption process.

We know that the annual test is an important part of your business but, as we are sure you will understand, these are exceptional circumstances. DVSA will refund all reservation fees for events scheduled from 21 March 2020.

Until notified you don’t need to ask us for additional testing capacity while exemptions are being issued.

Please visit GOV.UK for the latest information.

A key issue with this is the need for owners/operators to continue with maintenance and MOT pre-work as planned. Our understanding is that for DVSA to get ministers to approve this suspension of testing they needed to have a robust plan to monitor vehicle compliance and safety on the road. This will be managed by the Enforcement Team’s who may be supplemented by the ATF testers who are not testing.

To help customers Boleyn are opening its ATF lanes to support voluntary “roadworthiness inspections” that will be undertaken on the approved lanes and include a brake, smoke and beam tests and inspections (where required) to demonstrate the vehicle/trailer met the required standard on the day. If this is of interest please call 0208-594-2477 for more information.

We will post further as more information comes through.

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – We Are Open

First and foremost Boleyn would like to wish everyone well and remind them to follow the published guidance from reputable sources such as NHS (www.nhs.uk). Currently Boleyn are still fully operational and providing support to all who need us. We have taken steps to minimise the risks and have some staff working remotely, implemented enhanced cleaning of the trucks and office spaces. Please do not be offended if we wipe keys when we take them or wear gloves and/or face masks when working near you. This is about protecting everyone and ensuring we can continue to support everyone.

If anyone has an questions please contact us on 0208-594-2477.

We wish you and your loved ones well at this time.

New Operating Centres

As part of Boleyn’s continued development we are pleased to confirm we now have an operating base in Tilbury and have just taken on a new site at Junction 29 of the M25 that will be fully functional for 1st March 2020. This new location at J29 provides us excellent access to the M25 and A127 and surrounding areas so we can better support our customers.

We have also added some new trucks to the fleet and there will be more on that in the next week.

New Contracts Won

Boleyn have successfully won additional recovery work in Essex and increased the fleet to provide support and added another operating location in Tilbury. This is another step forward in Boleyn’s continued growth, and we are looking to adding another recovery depot later this year.

If you are interested in working within recovery please take a look at the Job Board on this website.

New Recovery Centre at North Weald Airfield

We are pleased to announce that as part of our continued and steady growth that we are now operating light and heavy recovery from North Weald which gives us a great location to support Stansted and also to get to areas like Stevenage, Luton, Colchester & Ipswich etc in less time than we do now.

We also operate a small service van from there doing jump starts and suzies etc.

All these services are centrally controlled from our Head Office operation in Barking and are fully supported and backed up from there. So if we were not in the right location for you before, we may be now, and if not, don’t forget we have c.250 recovery partners nationwide who help us support you.

June 2019 Update

Things have been really busy with a couple of roll overs, a mobile crane tipped over with its boom/jib through a roof, and vehicle stuck off road, not to mention a 150t low loader broken down. These are all good jobs that keep the team busy and interested in the job.

The workshop is now gearing up for the new smart tacho’s and the new Recovery Operations Manager is finishing his training to deliver CPC training etc.