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| MPs urge foreign lorry crackdown | MPs urge foreign lorry crackdown |
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| MPs have called for the agency in charge of safety-testing lorries and buses to be given extra powers to get unsafe foreign vehicles off the road. | MPs have called for the agency in charge of safety-testing lorries and buses to be given extra powers to get unsafe foreign vehicles off the road. |
| The Commons Transport Committee said non-compliance among overseas vehicles was unacceptably high. | The Commons Transport Committee said non-compliance among overseas vehicles was unacceptably high. |
| Nearly 47% of foreign vehicles stopped were found to have dangerous defects, compared with 37.5% for UK vehicles. | Nearly 47% of foreign vehicles stopped were found to have dangerous defects, compared with 37.5% for UK vehicles. |
| The committee says the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) needs more resources. | The committee says the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) needs more resources. |
| Its report, which looked into the enforcement activities of VOSA, said the agency needed more access to ports to prevent dangerous vehicles from entering Britain. | Its report, which looked into the enforcement activities of VOSA, said the agency needed more access to ports to prevent dangerous vehicles from entering Britain. |
| Committee chairman Louise Ellman MP said: "Britain has some of the safest roads in Europe but more must be done to ensure compliance with our safety standards for lorries, buses and coaches." | Committee chairman Louise Ellman MP said: "Britain has some of the safest roads in Europe but more must be done to ensure compliance with our safety standards for lorries, buses and coaches." |
| She said VOSA was "recognised as a model of best practice" but it "lacked sufficient access to our ports to inspect vehicles and drivers effectively". | She said VOSA was "recognised as a model of best practice" but it "lacked sufficient access to our ports to inspect vehicles and drivers effectively". |
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| HGV driver Bob Boreham: "He snaked all over the road" | HGV driver Bob Boreham: "He snaked all over the road" |
| The agency was also "hampered by some of the data-sharing regulations", she said. | The agency was also "hampered by some of the data-sharing regulations", she said. |
| "With many unsafe foreign-registered lorries and drivers entering the UK, it is crucial that VOSA can share information with colleagues in other European countries to bring cowboy operators to book. | "With many unsafe foreign-registered lorries and drivers entering the UK, it is crucial that VOSA can share information with colleagues in other European countries to bring cowboy operators to book. |
| "Better arrangements are needed so that the tracking methods used so effectively to nail non-compliant British vehicles can be employed to target foreign-registered lorries and coaches." | "Better arrangements are needed so that the tracking methods used so effectively to nail non-compliant British vehicles can be employed to target foreign-registered lorries and coaches." |
| Licensing rules | Licensing rules |
| Licensing rules for buses and coaches also need to be tightened, the report said. | Licensing rules for buses and coaches also need to be tightened, the report said. |
| Loopholes were endangering the safety of passengers by enabling some bus companies to operate unfit vehicles by transferring public service vehicle (PSV) licences between vehicles, it claimed. | Loopholes were endangering the safety of passengers by enabling some bus companies to operate unfit vehicles by transferring public service vehicle (PSV) licences between vehicles, it claimed. |
| BRITAIN'S ROADS 1.67 million foreign-registered vehicles in UK in 2008, down from record 1.72 million in 2007Foreign-registered vehicles account for more than 80% of heavy goods traffic in the UKProhibition rate among Czech HGVs subjected to roadworthiness tests in 2007/8 was more than 60%. Polish and Hungarian vehicles exceeded 50% and Belgian, German and Italian vehicles were more than 40%. The UK rate was 37.5%Defective UK vehicles more likely to be identified, due to targeting of known offenders and the annual testing system Source: Transport Committee | |
| The study concluded it was hard to prove who was using a given vehicle at a particular time - or if a specific vehicle had passed the required annual test. | The study concluded it was hard to prove who was using a given vehicle at a particular time - or if a specific vehicle had passed the required annual test. |
| A spokesperson for VOSA said it welcomed the report which "highlights the valuable enforcement work" carried out by the agency. | A spokesperson for VOSA said it welcomed the report which "highlights the valuable enforcement work" carried out by the agency. |
| The agency had already made "significant progress" in some of the areas mentioned, he said. | The agency had already made "significant progress" in some of the areas mentioned, he said. |
| "We have successfully introduced new enforcement powers enabling our examiners to issue on the spot financial penalties to drivers from the UK and abroad. | "We have successfully introduced new enforcement powers enabling our examiners to issue on the spot financial penalties to drivers from the UK and abroad. |
| "Since spring 2009 VOSA has issued around 8,000 fixed penalty notices, of which around 60% were to drivers from outside the UK," he added. | "Since spring 2009 VOSA has issued around 8,000 fixed penalty notices, of which around 60% were to drivers from outside the UK," he added. |
| Chief Superintendent Geraint Anwyl, chairman of the National Roads Policing Intelligence Forum, said HGV drivers were often a danger. | Chief Superintendent Geraint Anwyl, chairman of the National Roads Policing Intelligence Forum, said HGV drivers were often a danger. |
| "We have circumstances where drivers have been falling asleep. They've been driving excessive hours. | "We have circumstances where drivers have been falling asleep. They've been driving excessive hours. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| "And we've got vehicles which, frankly, shouldn't be on the road because in particular the trailers of these large goods vehicles are in such dangerous, dangerous condition," he added. | "And we've got vehicles which, frankly, shouldn't be on the road because in particular the trailers of these large goods vehicles are in such dangerous, dangerous condition," he added. |
| He said some recent changes, including the introduction of graduated penalties, had helped but there was still "an awful lot more work to do". | He said some recent changes, including the introduction of graduated penalties, had helped but there was still "an awful lot more work to do". |
| Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said the Conservatives have been calling for a safety crackdown for years and accused Labour of failing to take the safety problems around foreign lorries seriously enough. | Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said the Conservatives have been calling for a safety crackdown for years and accused Labour of failing to take the safety problems around foreign lorries seriously enough. |
| She added that the report proved these lorries were a major gap in the effectiveness of Labour's road safety strategy. | She added that the report proved these lorries were a major gap in the effectiveness of Labour's road safety strategy. |
| Freight Transport Association spokesman Jo Tanner said while the UK fleet is recognised as the safest in Europe, there was "continuing concern" over rogue operators from overseas. | Freight Transport Association spokesman Jo Tanner said while the UK fleet is recognised as the safest in Europe, there was "continuing concern" over rogue operators from overseas. |
| "VOSA's detection rates are good, but how are these vehicles able to make it so far from their home nation unchallenged? | "VOSA's detection rates are good, but how are these vehicles able to make it so far from their home nation unchallenged? |
| "The committee is absolutely right in encouraging greater collaboration and information-sharing between agencies, not only on this side of the Channel, but on the continent too." | "The committee is absolutely right in encouraging greater collaboration and information-sharing between agencies, not only on this side of the Channel, but on the continent too." |
| Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Do you drive a foreign lorry? Do you think this proposed new legislation would be fair? You can send your comments using the form below: | Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Do you drive a foreign lorry? Do you think this proposed new legislation would be fair? You can send your comments using the form below: |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |