High failure rate at port checks
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/ A 48-hour spot check on LGVs and PCVs at four ports last week by the Department of Transport revealed a startling level of offences.
The crackdown was a joint exercise by vehicle excise duty enforcement officers from the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority, and traffic examiners from the Vehicle Inspectorate.
It was the first to be carried out simultaneously at different sites; it involved checks at Dover, Felixstowe, Portsmouth and Poole.
Of the 2,082 commercial vehicles checked by the DVLA, 115 had committed vehicle excise duty offences. This is about 8%, which is more than twice the national average.
Of 248 vehicles mechanically examined by VI officials at Portsmouth, 48% had committed offences. Out of 112 examined at Poole 35% had broken the law.
Similar checks are planned by the authorities for ports across the UK.