Foreign drivers to face Limited CPC sanctions By Robin Meczes
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FOREIGN TRUCK drivers who don't comply with Driver CPC requirements when in the UK will effectively only ever face a £30 roadside penalty — while UK drivers in the same situation could face fines of up to £1,000, as well as possible action against their driving licence, CM has found.
Responding to queries by CM, a Vosa spokesman said UK drivers who cannot produce a Driver Qualification Card (DOC) at the roadside will face a graduated fixed penalty (GFP) of £30.
However, if a driver is found to be committing more than three offences, the matter may go to court, where a maximum penalty of £1,000 could be applied.
Repeat offending will also lead to traffic commissioners (TCs) being informed, which a spokeswoman for the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) said "could, for example, result in the suspension of the driver's licence and/or their employer's 0-licence".
Where the driver is from outside the UK, a court deposit equivalent to the £30 GFP will be taken at the roadside if drivers cannot produce the relevant DQC or driving licence, according to the Vosa spokesman. In theory, foreign drivers would then face the same £1,000 maximum fine in court but the chances of them turning up are extremely slim.
The agency spokesman admitted: "If the offender does not turn up at court, then the court deposit is forfeited as the fine for the offence."
Since neither foreign drivers nor foreign truck operators fall under the remit of the UK's TCs, no action can be taken in the UK against their respective licences. Additionally, there is no scope to bar such drivers or operators from