Big clamp down on tacho abusers
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TOUGHER tachograph checks are to be instituted, Junior Transport Minister Lynda Chalker has announced.
As part of the random roadside checks, the Department of Transport is installing a cornputerised system for analysing tachograph checks in each of the 11 traffic areas.
"This will enable the enforce ment staff to check considerably more tachograph charts in the future and increase enforcement of the EEC drivers hours' regulations" she told MPs.
New regulations are to be also laid before MPs shortly giving effect to EEC tachograph regulations requiring two yearly accuracy tests and full recalibration every six years.
The announcement of more stringent tachograph checks has pleased new Tory Northfield MP Roger King, who is worried about drivers' hours and their attention to speed limits in both coaches and heavy goods vehicles.
He wanted to see a similar system to the one used by airline pilots thereby they fill in a daily log book of their hours which can be checked against thl tachograph.
"These would be kept on file so that when the renewal of the licence comes up the authorities could refer to it."
There would be no point in trying not to fill in the logbook accurately as the tachograph would show whether there had been any fiddling of the records.
Mr King said his concern had been aroused by the incidents involving Flights Coaches in the West Midlands.