Impounding: Norris promises decision
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by Miles Brignall • Two major Government statements on the future of British haulage are to be made this week.
The Government's long awaited consultation paper on transport policy will be published today (25 April), while Roads Minister Steven Norris is expected to make a separate statement on impounding trucks without 0-licences.
The consultation paper is the DOT's response to the transport debate launched by Brian Mawhinney and a decision on impounding has been promised all year— only last week the Transport Select Committee was told a decision on impounding would be made by July.
Norris favours impounding if enough operators are found to be unlicensed. But the results of the controversial DOT study into the number of operators working out side the licensing sys tern, to be published in two weeks, will show that under 2% of trucks are running illegally. Norris has said that he will impose impounding if the figure is over 3%.
Last week the Transport Select Committee was told a decision on impounding will be made before parliament closes for the summer recess in July.
But the Magistrates Association's Derrick Leggetter said his organisation, while not against impounding, believes that only the police should be able to physically stop vehicles.
Leggetter said magistrates fear complicated disputes over whether a vehicle is in fact licensed and has been unfairly stopped. Those in favour of impounding say the survey into the number of unlicensed trucks is flawed and the number of illegal operators is closer to 5%.
The survey was delayed while DOT statisticians re-calculated the results and was due to be published this week. Norris has admitted there have been problems with the survey.