Speed-up for Foreign Vehicles Bill
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• Special steps are being taken by Mr Peter Walker, Secretary for the Environment, to speed up progress on the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Bill.
Instead of competing with a mass of other legislation for time on the floor of the Commons, the principle of the Bill will be debated by a second reading in committee.
This is a comparatively new procedure for dealing with non-controversial legislation.
Under the Bill, the Government is taking power to prohibit the driving of foreign goods vehicles and public service vehicles over the weight limit — 32 tons maximum — applied to British vehicles.
Examiners will have to inspect vehicles, and subject them to tests to ensure they comply with standards laid down in the Road Traffic Acts.
Refusal to comply with the provisions of the Bill will render drivers liable to fines of up to £200.
Police officers in uniform will be empowered to arrest, without a warrant, any driver suspected to having committed an offence.