Labour calls for VI cash
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• The Government should be giving the Vehicle Inspectorate greater resources in the war against cowboy operators, rather than demanding 20% efficiency gains, says Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody.
She made her demand when opening a parliamentary adjournment debate on LGV Safety last Wednesday (8 March).
Dunwoody, a long-serving member of the Transport Select Committee, told the Government it should increase the number of roadside checks if it was serious about forcing poorly maintained trucks off the roads. She referred to a recent roadside check by West Mercia Police in which 91% of CVs stopped received cautions or face prosecution. The best way to prevent accidents, she said, was to catch and fine the owners of badly maintained trucks.
Conservative and Liberal bank-benchers also expressed concern that any changes in funding of the VI should not weaken enforcement.
In reply, Roads Minister Steven Norris defended the cuts and promised that road safety would not be compromised. He defended the concept of continu ous operator licensing and said that British hauliers have a goad safety record.