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Police clamp down on 0-licence fraudsters
Page 6
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THREE MEN HAVE been arrested as part of a police investigation into operators fraudulently obtaining 0-licences in a bid to get round the rules governing the industry.
The arrests follow a lengthy intelligence-led operation which culminated in teams from the Metropolitan Police's Traffic Unit raiding five addresses in London and the Home Counties.
Further arrests are expected along with the revocation of a significant number of operator licences, followed by a review of the system for granting them.
The investigations began following police inquiries into road traffic incidents involving trucks, including one fatal incident. They also coincided with concerns raised by South-Eastern Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps regarding the nature of some 0-licence applications.
Between April 2005 and February 2006 alone, the police and Vasa served over 2,000 prohibition notices (PG9s) on trucks that were found to be in a dangerous condition, As well as roadside checks, Vosa's enforcement system relies on regular inspections of operators.
But when a licence is obtained fraudulently, the person obtaining it can evade any process of safety checks or inspections.
"We're targeting people who think they can abuse the system and put unsafe vehicles on the roads," says Detective Superintendent Glyn Jones of the Met's Traffic Unit. "We'll use the full weight of the law to tackle anyone flouting the system."