This is a list of what DVSA’s Content Design team worked on during February 2017, and what we plan to do next.
It's divided into lists of new or updated content we've designed and published, existing content we're significantly improving, and what we plan to do during March 2017.
New or updated content
To meet the needs of users, we have:
- worked with the Government Digital Service (GDS) to make it clearer when you should report a serious vehicle safety defect to DVSA
- published the latest MOT testing data for Great Britain, along with a news story explaining that MOT fails could be avoided by basic car maintenance
- updated and republished the diesel smoke test poster that MOT garages should display
- updated the driving instructor code of practice
- updated the guidance about using a National Vocational Training (NVT) concession when you're becoming a lorry, bus or coach driver
- updated the load securing guidance for vehicle operators with new guidance on diminishing loads and part-loads
- improved our complaints procedure to give users a clearer expectation of when they'll hear back from us
Improved content
To do a better job of making government work for users, we have:
- continued work to replace the guide to maintaining roadworthiness and other related guidance with a single guide on keeping lorries, bus and coaches safe to drive - we held a content critique (or 'crit') to get feedback from the wider team
- published a new video about how compulsory basic training (CBT) courses for motorcyclists work
- moved the national standard for driving cars and light vans from a PDF document to the GOV.UK manual format, as well as making the language easier to understand
Things we plan to do next
In March 2017 we expect to:
- update the penalties table in The Highway Code on 1 March 2017 to reflect the increased penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone when driving
- move datasets to GOV.UK, and update data.gov.uk to link to them
- publish DVSA's business plan for 2017 to 2018 and DVSA's 5-year strategy
- attend the cross-government content conference being run by GDS on 15 March 2017
- continue with our current improvement work
Keep up to date with our work by signing up for email alerts or following DVSA digital on Twitter.