Fines to fund checks
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by Karen :Ililes • Drivers look set to face near-daily street checks on their vehicles if a joint local and central Government initiative to finance extra enforcement is successful.
The stops could start in UK cities and towns as soon as 1997 if—as seems likely—local authorities are allowed to fund their exercises through fines resulting from checks.
Although the main aim would be to penalise pollut ing vehicles, the Government is also considering a wider enforcement role for the stops.
The Department of Transport-chaired working party set up to oversee how local authorities can get involved with roadside emission testing is also considering whether police and local authority officers could check tax, insurance, 0-licences, tachographs and overall roadworthiness at the same time.
A pilot study involving at least one local authority—possibly Westminster in London—is expected to take place in the new year. National schemes could follow a year later.
The prospect of a major escalation in the number of roadside checks results from the Government's willingness to study whether emission infringement fines could be paid directly to local authori ties, which in turn would pay cash-strapped local police forces for their help in pulling over vehicles.
The process would require emission offences to be decriminalised, so that fine receipts could go into the coffers of the local councils rather than to the Treasury.