Inside Stoke depot seen off A500 with 120 workers and M&S and ASDA as clients

It's in a perfect location with Stoke-on-Trent being at the heart of the country's transportation links A trailer-refurb centre that opened almost 18 months ago has introduced a new, two-lane Authorised Testing Facility (ATF) which has cost between GBP600,000 and GBP700,000. The new facility at Trailer Auto Group Ltd (TAG Ltd) will allow HGVs to be MOTd and repaired where needed.

MOTs and repairs undergone by TAG Ltd are then tested by DVSA officers who visit the site daily to check the HGVs. As well as lorries, buses and coaches (PSVs) are also welcome to have MOTs and repairs carried out at TAG Ltd. The facility is situated in the former Churchill China site in Whieldon Road and employs around 120 employees.

It is big enough to accommodate 300 trailers at one time, with some of its customers including M&S, Dunelm and ASDA. READ: Meet the sculptor behind some of Stoke-on-Trent's most recognisable artworks[1] | Philip Hardaker's creations can be found across the area, from museums to Chinese takeaways READ: Arts events across Stoke-on-Trent to get GBP850,000 funding boost[2] | Four 'cultural action zones' will be created in Hanley, Longton, Stoke and Tunstall

Paul Glover is the ATF coordinator at Tag Ltd. He said: "The double crossover pit allows workers to use the left or right lanes when they're doing repairs and refurbishments. Then the DVSA comes in, tests the repairs and confirms the vehicle is fit for the road.

"With Stoke being centrally located, we provide services that are needed as many companies are having to travel long distances to get MOTs, which increases their costs, time, and their carbon footprint from all the travelling around. People can come to us much easier because many HGVs drive through or near Stoke-on-Trent anyway. "We're a one-stop shop for refurbishing and repairing trailers, and since Covid, the demand still hasn't caught up so customers need us more than ever.

We do about 20 trailers a week, but we're hoping to increase this to 30. "I've always been involved in transport, I was a HGV driver for 20 years after working my way up in a transport company, but I became diabetic so I ended up taking a different route. I love the job and I love working with people.

I've been at TAG Ltd for 22 months and it's like a family here." Ian Bell works for the DVSA testing the HGVs at TAG Ltd. He added: "We perform road safety MOT tests and statutory tests which vehicles need every year.

Some have additional tests depending on what they carry, such as refrigerated lorries. "Unlike cars which usually go for three years before needing an MOT when they're bought from new, a brand new lorry still has to have an annual MOT because of all the miles it clocks up." The repair and refurbishment of a HGV usually takes 80 hours or six days to complete.

The process includes blasting off rust and cleaning the trailers, vinyl wrapping, sign writing, and painting, as well as the MOTs and services.

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References

1. ^ Meet the sculptor behind some of Stoke-on-Trent's most recognisable artworks (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
2. ^ Arts events across Stoke-on-Trent to get GBP850,000 funding boost (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
3. ^ Sign up for email alerts from StokeonTrentLive direct to your inbox here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
4. ^ Generic In Your Area widget (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)