Tougher enforcement needed on foreign tacho fiddling TACHOGRAPH FIDDLING by
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foreign operators is a "real and hidden" problem that is not being taken seriously enough by Vosa or the courts, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) has warned.
RHA policy director Jack Semple told MPs that falsifying the drivers' hours record was a "broad concern" across the industry but particularly on foreign LGVs, which are not being sufficiently dealt with by the authorities. He said: "We have evidence from colleagues on the Continent that the use of magnets is becoming more common. That is a serious offence. It means that it is almost impossible for enforcers to know how many hours you have been driving."
Semple added that Vosa needs to be "more effective" in prosecuting drivers found to be using magnets, while courts must be "more consistent" in imposing adequate penalties. "Somebody who uses a magnet often [only] gets a £200 fixed penalty for not having a functioning tachograph," he explained.
The Transport Select Committee heard that figures from Vosa show that 11.5% of foreign-registered and 12.9% of UK-registered vehicles stopped in roadside checks are found to have breached drivers' hours rules.