The announcement of a price rise from the current £9 to £20 per exam paper was made by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) which takes over the UK contract to run the training approval and exam regime for ADR drivers on 1st October this year. The contract has been run since 1992 by City and Guilds of London Institute (CGLI) but was awarded to SQA after a competitive re-tendering process.

Drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods in tanks, in bulk or in packages, need to undertake training and examination by approved training providers to gain their ADR Vocational Training Certificate (VTC). Such drivers need to sit approved training courses and pass exams in up to 12 different subjects depending on what they are carrying, so the new increased cost can be up to 12 x £20 per driver - £240. Training providers have to be approved by DfT via their appointed agent.

Chris MacRae, FTA's Training & Policy Manager for Dangerous Goods said, "This is a ridiculous price increase for the industry to swallow. I say 'the industry' advisedly because while the exam fee rise will have to be paid by training providers, they will not be able to absorb a cost increase of this magnitude and will have no option but to pass it on to their customer, ie the road transport industry: this is just one more cost the industry really does not need right now!"