DSA and VOSA to merge

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and Vehicle Operator Services Agency (VOSA) are to merge into a single agency under changes announced last week (20 June) by Stephen Hammond, roads minister.

Making the announcement, the Government said that as a result of the move "motorists and businesses will benefit from more convenient and cost effective motoring services such as driving tests and goods vehicle testing".

A transitional board, under the leadership of Alastair Peoples, VOSA chief executive who will head the new agency, will start work next month to determine the structure of the organisation. Rosemary Thew, the DSA chief executive, will leave her post at the end of June. The new single agency will come into force in 2014.

Stephen Hammond said: "We need to make sure that we continue to keep pace with customers’ needs and deliver services in a way which is both convenient and cost effective.

"These changes will put customers at the heart of the services they rely on and allow for a more coherent approach to service delivery. By bringing testing and standards services into a single organisation we will make life easier for customers and potentially reduce the fees we charge.

"Staff at the DSA and VOSA do a great job in delivering for customers every day and we will work closely with them to support them through these changes."

The announcement follows the consultation on the Motoring Services Strategy which ran from 13 December 2012 to 7 March 2013. The strategy proposed rationalising the roles and numbers of agencies to provide an improved and more efficient delivery of motoring services to customers. Respondents to the consultation were generally supportive of this proposal, recognising the benefits that such a move would bring, but were keen to protect the quality of services.

Click here for a summary of responses to the consultation. Decisions on the other proposals detailed in the Motoring Services Strategy, will be announced in due course.