AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Instant justice for foreign offenders

16th March 2006, Page 6
16th March 2006
Page 6
Page 6, 16th March 2006 — Instant justice for foreign offenders
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Foreign drivers who break the rules in the UK are to face on-the-spot fines. Sally Nash reports on the latest changes to the Road Safety Bill.

FOREIGN DRIVERS committing offences on UK roads face on-the-spot fines under proposals now before Parliament.

The amendment to the Road Safety Bill, which has just had its second reading, means foreigners who commit endorsable offences such as breaches of the drivers' hours or overloading regs will be forced to pay an immediate deposit equal to the likely fine. And if they fail to cough up, their vehicles will be clamped.

Foreign drivers are four times more likely than UK drivers to break the hours rules, and twice as likely to commit overloading offences. But the prosecution rate for foreign operators is woeful.

Two years ago, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (Vosa) revealed that more and more foreigners were escaping prosecution because it was simply too expensive to take them to court (CM 8 July 2004). Only two foreign operators were suc cessfully prosecuted in 2003-04.

A Vosa spokesman says the agency has the resources to deal with the increased workload that will be caused by the amendment.

A Department for Transport (DIT) spokesman reports that some foreign drivers give false addresses or fail to turn up to court, and that it is a costly and time-consuming process to pursue "relatively small fines across international borders".

The size of on-the-spot fines has not yet been decided by the NT However, in France UK drivers face demands from around €90 to €2,500, depending on the nature of the offence.

Hauliers and trade associations have generally welcomed the move to bring overseas offenders to book.

Freight Transport Association external affairs director Geoff Dossetter says: "In the past it has been too easy for offending foreign drivers to simply leave the country and avoid a line. That situation will change."

Peter Denby, MD of Denby Transport, says the amendment could go some way to restoring a level playing field. But he warns against over-zealous enforcement by officers which could create a "tit for tat" situation with other EU countries targeting UK operators. Other measures contained in the Road Safety Bill include: • Graduated penalties for speeding offences • "lighter security on licensing • Revamped driver instruction and testing • Tougher penalties for the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving.


comments powered by Disqus