Bent' permits EEC backlash
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A CLAMPDOWN-I on the misuse of international road haulage permits is now taking place all over Europe following the discovery of British drivers in possession of forged permits in several countries. Over a two-month period the French authorities have put together a list of 41 British companies allegedly guilty of permit infringements which have now been banned from entering France.
But it is known that around 15 per cent of these companies were put on the list after their names were found on forged. permits held by a driver who did not work for them.
Now the Yugoslav Government has said that it will jail any driver guilty of an infringement and fine him heav ily. The drivers will stay in prison until the fine is paid and the load may be confiscated.
A Department of Transport spokesman told CM this week that new methods of detection were in use both in Britain and abroad to find the "bent" permit and arrest the user.
Answering allegations from the newly-formed International Hauliers Federation the DTp said that only two cases of French drivers had been found in Britain with permits that did not conform to the rules. "And these were cases of genuine mistakes," said a spokesman.
IHF chairman Ken Bachmann had alleged that 90 per. cent of hauliers running in Europe were "running bent" but the DTp commented that this would mean at least 40,000 illegal journeys by British, hauliers every year in France .alone.
"If the IHF or anybody else has any evidence of misuse of permits then the police should be informed of it as soon as possible and they will take action under the International Road Haulage Permits Act 1975," said the spokesman.
And he made it clear that there would be no DTp investigation into irregularities in the use of permits unless Transport Minister William Rodgers ordered one, "and that is unlikely" he added.