End of the road for police heavy escorts
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• Confirmation that the escorting of abnormal loads will fall into private hands is expected within days.
But the long-awaited Home Office report, which will define core activities and ancillary work which could be contracted out, is not expected to recommend that the police should withdraw from tachograph enforcement work.
According to police sources, the escorting of wide loads will be among police activities defined as ripe for privatisation.
Although the change will require new legislation, hauliers
could be paying private companies to escort wide loads before the end of the year.
The decision on whether the police should remain heavily involved with tachograph work is linked to a wider Home Office discussion on whether civilians should be given the power to flag down vehicles.
The Vehicle Inspectorate (which needs the police to stop vehicles at roadside checks) and some London authorities (which want to test vehicles emissions) are pushing for their own "right-to-stop" powers (CM January 26-1 February).