I have just finished talking to a mate in the stretch Limo business.
He has been involed in protracted discussions with VOSA for some time in relation to requirements for importing stretch limos (You think we have problems).
The VOSA guy's parting shot was:
" There will no longer be an SVA in eighteen months time, only type approval".
This bombshell will be posted on the VOSA website in January to give people 12 months warning.
I assumed that this was only going to apply to limos, but the answer that I got was; not on your life.
All SVA testing is to be scrapped.
This means;
NO Kit Cars.
NO amateur builds, ie: us.
NO modifying cars.
ALL vehicles will have to be type approved, unless they are pre-2008 built!

Please, someone tell me this is a wind-up.

If it is, I shall stab his eyes out!

If not, MAN THE BARRICADES!

Edit: Why do you always found out sh!t like this after 5.00pm on a Friday?
I shall be ringing VOSA on Monday.



[Edited on 19/10/07 by Confused but excited.]

i've kind of been expecting something like this for a while...

hope it only relies to imports though! otherwise i'd better get a move on!

another great government plan to put a lot of people out of business

[Edited on 19/10/07 by blakep82]

If this is true id better hurry up and get mines done!!!

I'm going to sit here all calmly and call "bullshit" from VOSA / your mate on this WRT kit cars and specials.

I have no choice but to do that, as otherwise I'd be weeping into my rapidly emptying pint.

[Edited on 19/10/07 by Delinquent]

I can't see owt on the vosa site???? Surely it can't be true I mean how many folk/businesses will suffer?

i can understand type approval relating to imports (would save a lot of time rather than SVAing every import that comes in) but i don't think SVA will stop on self builds and kits

Type aproval IS coming, I have been to a couple of seminars on it, but it seems that SVA will not be scrapped, probably just re-named, as there are currently type aproval designation letters assigned to kit cars. I did write a bit of a thread a while ago, see below.

BUT, this is still a few years away, and the details are still not confirmed about what will or will not be involved. And this has come from the people that are setting up the type aproval.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=55572

The only thing that is certain is that VOSA will get very busy as the number of commercial vehicles and trailers and buses etc will increase, so expect test dates to be bumped back. But that is about all we really know now.

And remember, when SVA was talked about it was thought to be the end of kits cars, so lets asume the same with Type Aproval. Even the government wouldn't get rid of kit cars.

so what happens when i die as a hearse needs a svaYour vehicle will be subject to the SVA scheme if it is one of the following:

Commercial Import
Personal Import
Amateur Built Vehicle
Very Low Volume (VLV) Vehicles
A vehicle manufactured using parts from a previously registered vehicle
Hearse
Armoured Vehicle
Rebuilt Vehicle
Left Hand Drive Vehicle (imported)
SVA is also available for motor caravans and ambulances.

quote:

---

Even the government wouldn't get rid of kit cars.

---

^ nanny state!

I think stretch limos should be banned on grounds of poor taste.

sorry what is type approval?

quote:

---

Originally posted by speedyxjs
sorry what is type approval?

---

If they do give the go-ahead in january, i propose we all sign one of those online petitions and start with ALL the other related forums (westfield, mk etc)

quote:

---

Originally posted by mr henderson
I think stretch limos should be banned on grounds of poor taste.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by speedyxjs

If they do give the go-ahead in january, i propose we all sign one of those online petitions and start with ALL the other related forums (westfield, mk etc)

---

The sad thing is these sort of developments have little to do with governments and MPs. Its more the ministries creating work for themselves.


Theres no backbench MP demanding this for his constituents and you wont find it in party manifestos either.

It doesn't matter whoever you vote for in the next election it will not make an ounce of difference to what goes on.

Theres far too much legislation/goings on like this these days. Its not headline news so the stuff just goes through. We are sleepwalking into a nanny state where we're not allowed to do anything.

[Edited on 19/10/07 by RichieW]

quote:

---

Originally posted by balidey

The only thing that is certain is that VOSA will get very busy as the number of commercial vehicles and trailers and buses etc will increase.

---

so if thats the case, what if MNR,MK,Wetsfield etc all "type approve" their car, then you could build one and register it without SVA?.

probably not I know, but a nice idea?

Ray

quote:

---

Originally posted by rayward
so if thats the case, what if MNR,MK,Wetsfield etc all "type approve" their car, then you could build one and register it without SVA?.

probably not I know, but a nice idea?

Ray

---

>sigh< someone says 'don't panic' so everyone instantly does - you've got to love the British

quote:

---

Originally posted by iank

quote:

---

Originally posted by speedyxjs

If they do give the go-ahead in january, i propose we all sign one of those online petitions and start with ALL the other related forums (westfield, mk etc)

---

Have you not noticed that they have ignored every online petition so far? I'm firmly of the opinion they are there so people sign a pointless web-form rather than taking to the streets.

---

Nothing like a bit of mis-information to get the whole country panicking!

SVA will be 'scrapped' but only because it will be renamed IVA (individual vehicle approval) to be brought in line with the name for the new individual approvals of trailers, commercial vehicles, etc.

IVA should, as the name suggests, allow for much the same process as we go through now, there may or may not be changes at the same time as the name change but we'll have to wait and see! You can be sure that amateur-built vehicles will still be more than capable of passing the tests as the market in this country is huge.





[Edited on 24/10/07 by matt_claydon]

quote:

---

Originally posted by matt_claydon
Nothing like a bit of mis-information to get the whole country panicking!

SVA will be scrapped but only because it will be renamed IVA (individual vehicle approval) to be brought in line with the name for the new individual approvals of trailers, commercial vehicles, etc.

---

Just spoken to VOSA help desk and they have not been informed of any changes.
I was told that "they would be the first to know, as they are the first point of contact for enquiries".

After matt obviously.
Well done that man, we can all sleep easily in our beds now.

Wouldn't you think that they would tell their help desk first?
So much for the information age.

Profound apologies all round for any distress caused.

No harm done

Your original post actually got me back into the garage over the weekend and made me get some work done for a change so you have actually done me a bit of good. Cheers

quote:

---

Originally posted by iank
While not panicking (yet ) it's quite possible they will go through and tighten some regulations at the changeover. It's a logical time/place to make any changes they've been saving up as they will have to reprint/re-issue all the SVA manuals.

---

The definitive answer?
Straight from the horses mouth, E-mail received today:


"Thank you for your recent enquiry which has been passed to me by our Enquiry Unit. I can confirm that the Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) scheme is to be replaced in 2009 by the European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) regulations. This will have an impact on the SVA scheme, but it is too early to be able to give exact details as to what these might be. Currently, Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) will take the place of SVA, but will be a bespoke testing regime.

I trust this information is helpful, but if you do require any further assistance please do not hesitate to get in touch. In the interim, may I wish you good luck with your project."

Best regards,

Mark

Mark Vickers
Technical Officer
Single Vehicle Approval
Passenger Cars & Light Goods Vehicles
Vehicle & Operator Services Agency
Department for Transport.

Bespoke testing regime eh?

Does that mean you have to go in a suit?

Edit: Doh! Nearly forgot, his e-mail address is; Mark.Vickers@vosa.gov.uk
Should anyone have any further questions, now that it is all cleared up.

[Edited on 23/10/07 by Confused but excited.]

I bet he'll not thank you for publishing his email address on the wibbly wide web.

bespoke adj, now rather formal said of clothes: made to fit a particular person, or made according to a particular person's requirements.

So there are two readings.
1. The test will be fit for kitcars and specials
2. The test will be specific to each car that needs to be tested.

First one is much the same as now with maybe a little fiddling, the second is beginning to sound like the Australian system Syd has been predicting for a while.

I didn't publish it on the web.
Just on here, where one or two interested parties may take the opportunity to engage him in meaningful dialogue, relevant to his role within VOSA and their interests. That is after all what he is there for.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Confused but excited.
I didn't publish it on the web.
Just on here, where one or two interested parties may take the opportunity to engage him in meaningful dialogue, relevant to his role within VOSA and their interests. That is after all what he is there for.

---

Confused - just edit your post with his emil address in it, and change the @ to the words AT. That way we can read it still, but email trawlers/crawlers whatever can't send him info on russian brides.

As I just said to my wife Olga, he's probably a nerd who'd quite like some russian bride information

[Edited on 28/10/07 by Litemoth]

[Edited on 28/10/07 by Litemoth]

[Edited on 28/10/07 by Litemoth]

quote:

---

Originally posted by D Beddows
>sigh< someone says 'don't panic' so everyone instantly does - you've got to love the British

---