Watchdogs bark up wrong tree
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For some years the Department of Transport and the Vehicle Inspectorate have been concerned about the problem of vehicle emissions. Until recently this has been dealt with by vehicle examiners, but it seems that the DOT wants the public to help bring "smoking" hauliers and PCV operators into line.
A leaflet produced by the DOT and Department of the Environment, which advises operators about smoke from diesels, has been circulated beyond hauliers to the general public. It encourages members of the public to contact their local Traffic Area Offices if they see smoky vehicles. The public has had this right for some time now, but it is not widely known and has seldom been widely used. Any moves to deal with pollution are to be applauded, but there is a real danger that operators will find themselves being visited by vehicle examiners following complaints which, although entirely innocent, may be misconceived: there are times when even the best maintained trucks emit smoke.
By delegating responsibility to unqualified people valuable time and resources are likely to be wasted—not only by vehicle examiners who should be devoting their limited resources to genuine problems, but by operators who need to concentrate on running their vehicles and surviving, rather than dealing with ill-founded allegations.