Crime and punishment
Page 3
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So, the Poles he Irsi and the Germans are the worst offer derS on UK roads (see p61 Our successful Freedom of Information reouest to VOSA reveals the to:at value of Graduated Fixed Penalt CS FPs] paid in the first nine months since VOSA was granted the powers to issue such penalties: nearly £3.3m.
Non-UK resident onvers accounted for £1.91m of that total, with the worst offenders being the three nat'cralities ghted at tie Start: Polish lE263,8801, Ins') 1£245(5901, and German V93,9801. the Irish offenders accounted for 7.6% of all GFPs paid, Put only account for 2.5% of veh des in tne UK, whereas the Poles account for 14.60/c of
vehicles in the UK 8.29/a of the GFFS paid.
But let's not (ose sight cf the compliance performance of UK operators and their drive-s. in the same nine months, UK resident drivers accounted for Ellm in GFPs.
May be it goes wo,hout saying( that's El .2m too much. We can bitch and mean and point a finger at foreign rivals tax approach to legal running, hut Let's get ou
own house in order too.
Analysis of the top fiveoffences reveals that there are no new intrigemerts the same old crimes continue to be committed. Rogue operators ard vehicles put a dent not only in the industry's image, but also in o-ofessicral operators' profit ma,-gins.
We need VOSA to continue to do its job, but we also need to look to ourselves.
• The next Trucking Britain Out Of Rece(:.,=-:: on survey is row online. Go to wvvw.roadtransport.com/britain
Justin Stanton
Commercial Motor the official Lip{ journal of the International Truck of the Year and international Van of the Year Awards