Foreign ‘danger lorries’ sneaking on to Britain’s roads
Commenting on the publication of the Commons public accounts committee’s report on the way the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) enforces regulations on commercial vehicles, South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, a member of the committee, said:
“According to the National Audit Office, foreign lorries overall cause more deaths per kilometre travelled than British Heavy Goods Vehicles and most accidents involving foreign lorries involve mechanical failures such as faulty brakes, illegal tyres or defective steering.
“VOSA wants to inspect vehicles at or very near ports so that the Agency can stop as many dangerous HGVs as possible from using Britain’s roads.
“However, VOSA can’t get into ports without permission from the port’s owners, who aren’t always cooperative. In fact, one ferry terminal banned VOSA examiners because they put the port at a ‘commercial disadvantage’, forcing the Agency to set up shop five miles away.
“There is no good reason why VOSA and HM Revenue and Customs are failing to reach agreement over sharing intelligence on vehicles arriving from mainland Europe. HMRC and VOSA should come to an agreement without further delay. It is also unacceptable that foreign lorries are being given free passage on our road network. All UK hauliers pay tax and foreign HGV drivers should not be allowed to come and go without paying their fair share.
“Britain’s roads should be wide open for honest drivers and safe vehicles from anywhere in the world, but dangerous lorries must not be given the chance to sneak onto our roads. VOSA must work with port operators so that inspections can be conducted on the quayside”.
11 March 2010
See also:
PAC REPORT:
Enforcement of regulations on commercial vehicles
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