Big truck check nabs foreigners
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• A major lorry check in County Durham last week found more than 50 offences in 44 vehicles.
More than 30 police, six custom and excise officers, Department of Transport officials, interpreters, sniffer dogs and an X-ray unit were involved in the operation — the first of its kind in this county.
Lorries from France, Holland, Poland, Turkey, Spain, Denmark and Germany were stopped: mainly tyre, lights and hour offences were uncovered. Most drivers got off with a warning, although many had to correct the defects before they were allowed to continue their journeys.
A British tractive unit was the only vehicle to be stopped from continuing its journey as it had "dangerously defective brakes and no hand brake".
One driver was ordered to take a driving break after his tachograph revealed several hours of travel, and an Irish driver was found to be without valid insurance. Police allowed the man to telephone his company and his insurance was backdated from the beginning of the month.
Durham police were "pleased" to announce that no rebated fuel offences were found, despite special checks, and have called the operation a "major success." They say: "We decided to mount the operation after an increase in the number of foreign HGVs on the roads. We hope the word will spread and drivers will raise their standards."