ADR are the initials of a French phrase meaning “international agreement concerning the carriage of dangerous goods by road”. The agreement already applies to the transport of dangerous goods through and between those European countries that have signed up to it. The agreement stipulates that detailed technical requirements have to be met before a certificate allowing carriage of dangerous goods is issued to a vehicle. This applies whether the goods to be carried are liquid, gaseous or explosive. ADR vehicle certificates are renewable annually.
CDG refers to the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations Northern Ireland 2006 and The Carriage of Explosive Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006. These regulations introduce for the first time into Northern Ireland many of the ADR international requirements to new vehicles involved in the carriage of Dangerous Goods within Northern Ireland and GB.
The following are some examples of the vehicle types that will require CDG/ADR certification before being used in Britain and Northern Ireland:
New vehicles or trailers to be used for the transport of liquid or gaseous dangerous goods in fixed or demountable tanks, or fixed batteries of pressure vessels over one cubic metre capacity;
New vehicles or trailers transporting liquid or gaseous dangerous goods in tank containers or portable tanks of over three cubic metres capacity;
New tractor units or new rigid vehicles to be used to tow trailers of any age which transport liquid or gaseous dangerous goods in fixed or demountable tanks of fixed batteries of pressure vessels over one cubic metre capacity; and
New trailers that transport containers or portable tanks of any age over three cubic metres capacity for transporting liquid or gaseous dangerous goods.
New vehicles and trailers are defined in the regulations as those placed in service on or after the date that the revised regulations come into force. DVTA can only certify vehicles and trailers as CDG/ADR approved that have been registered in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. DVTA cannot perform an ADR test for vehicles registered in other EU member states. The fleet currently in use is not affected by these new regulations.
CDG/ADR tests are carried out ONLY at Belfast and Cookstown test centres at present. A CDG/ADR test should be booked at the same time as the HGV annual test. New vehicles and trailers need CDG/ADR certification before they are used and in the case of a new trailer used for dangerous goods it will also need to undergo a full brake test as part of the CDG/ADR Test.
The fee for the CDG/ADR test is currently £82.00 for each vehicle/trailer and a retest is £42.00. Articulated or drawbar vehicles and trailers are treated as two vehicles, each with their own certificate and test fee. Applications must be made to DVTA Headquarters in good time for the test.
Only the new part of a vehicle/trailer combination will need mandatory certification. The normal Annual Test fees apply in addition to the CDG/ADR test fee.
Replacement certificates can be applied for if the original is lost, damaged or destroyed, or if the carrier, operator or owner changes but there is no change in the vehicle CDG/ADR type or the substances to be carried. Replacement certificates can be applied for using the CDG application form and completing the relevant sections. The fee for a duplicate certificate is £12.00.
You will be required to produce the following documentation at your CDG/ADR test:
A signed declaration, confirming that the vehicle/trailer has been cleaned/purged, otherwise the vehicle/trailer may not be admitted into the test hall and the test will be abandoned;
A tank certificate to prove that any fixed tanks or pressure vessel batteries mounted to the vehicle have been inspected and meet specific standards;
Proof that leak-proof and hydraulic strength tests have been carried out at prescribed intervals by an approved examiner (for fixed tanks and batteries in service);
A manufacturers declaration of compliance (for the first CDG/ADR test only);
You will have to declare that nothing has been changed to affect the manufacturer’s declaration, which is to be signed by a person in the organisation who is competent and knowledgeable about manufacturing or the repair process.
An examiner approved by the relevant Northern Ireland or GB Competent Authority must issue the necessary certificates and originals must be produced at the time of testing. Certificates issued by persons or bodies that have not been approved by the GB or Northern Ireland Competent Authorities will not be accepted.
The standard period of validity for a CDG/ADR certificate is 12 months. However there are some important points to note about this duration.
In the case of a vehicle for which there is no existing CDG/ADR Certificate, the certificate will expire one year from the date it was passed by the authorised examiner.
In the case of a vehicle for which there is a current certificate, the new CDG/ADR certificate will expire one year from the date of expiry of the existing certificate, provided that the annual technical inspection is performed within one month of the expiry date
If the application relates to a different vehicle type or different substances are to be carried, then paragraph (a) applies.
If any alterations are made resulting in a change to the main characteristics of the vehicle or if it has been involved in an accident which is likely to affect CDG/ADR safety requirements, it must be re-examined and (a) above shall apply.
Where the expiry date of any required tank certificate occurs earlier than a year from the date of the technical inspection, the period of validity of the certificate shall be limited to the expiry date of such tank certificate or roadworthiness certificate The period of validity can only subsequently be extended by the DVTA to the standard period of validity on submission of a new tank certificate. The maximum intervals between tank-shell periodic examinations shall be 6 years and 3 years for leak proof test.
NOTE: as part of CDG/ADR certification new trailers will be required to undergo a full brake test.
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