– Control of brakes on heavy vehicles takes place during rolling brake tests. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration states that, when used correctly, such methods give results within an acceptable margin of error. This was said by Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård (Ap) during question time in the Storting on Wednesday. Jon-Ivar Nygård (Ap), Minister of Transport. Photo: Alf Simensen / NTB It was Bård Hoksrud (Frp) who asked the minister questions. The FRP politician wants a debate about brake controls on heavy vehicles. Hoksrud believes that the road authorities have put themselves on the back foot in this matter. Even though they know that there are weaknesses with current control methods and especially “roll testers”. news’s own investigations in the Stavanger area have revealed that the same train can go from approved brakes on one test to non-approved brakes on another test, even if no one has touched the brakes in the meantime. Stands behind the Norwegian Road Administration In the Storting, the transport minister nevertheless defended the road tests. – The Norwegian Public Roads Administration points out that international regulations and European standards are the basis for this control method. And that an international professional community and large industry organizations in Norway stand behind roller brake tests as a control method, said Nygård. news has further revealed that brake faults may have been a contributing factor in 19 fatal accidents, and that these faults cannot be detected by today’s brake controls. Last autumn, news tested a random train with no defects in the brakes. Nevertheless, the trailer struck out. Photo: Rolv Christian Topdahl / news Also in this area, Transport Minister Nygård sided with the Swedish Road Administration. – The Norwegian Public Roads Administration does not agree that the analyzes show that deficiencies in the control method must have contributed to serious accidents, said the minister. – Very passive Bård Hoksrud is disappointed by the answers he received from the Minister of Transport. – It’s just copy/paste from things the Norwegian Road Administration and the Directorate of Roads have said before. There is no will to go further into the matter. It is very passive, says Hoksrud. Bård Hoksrud, parliamentary representative for Frp. Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news The Frp politician believes that Nygård should be more open to listening to what Helge Andersen and other former Vegvesen employees have to say. Hoksrud will also have an external investigation. – We should get someone external to review what news has uncovered, namely that the brake tests show different results on the same train. I am surprised that they beat their chests and think today’s methods are so good. Bård Hoksrud has long been involved in the issue of brake controls. And he had contact with Helge Andersen for several years. Andersen worked in the Norwegian Road Administration for almost 30 years. There he was an expert on truck brakes. Disappointed, but not surprised Helge Andersen himself is not surprised by the answers from the Minister of Transport. – There was nothing new here. These were the same claims that the Swedish Road Administration has been making for 20 years, he says to news. Andersen is nevertheless disappointed that Nygård only refers to the Norwegian Road Administration in his answers. – I react to the fact that he takes it so lightly. Why doesn’t the minister take us whistleblowers more seriously? The former Road Administration employee also believes that the Minister of Transport should initiate an investigation to find out whether what the Road Administration says about the brake tests is true. – That way he could have the other side of the case examined as well, not just the specialist’s version. Is it true, for example, that the problems with the roller tester have been fixed? Andersen asks. At work in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Helge Andersen discovers a fault with brake controls on truck trains. He fears that approved truck trains will become death machines on the road.
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The Minister of Transport defends today’s brake tests of truck trains – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
