Prohibition rate tops 20%
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• More than 20% of the vehicles spot-checked in the Vehicle Inspectorate's Fleet Compliance Check carried out last year received prohibitions, 7% of which were immediate. Of the 4,221 vehicles stopped at the roadside, 30 had no 0licence compared with the 70 Operators Survey. The results of the check, carried out last March, suggest that the age of a vehicle correlates with its condition. Vehicles carrying earth, stone and skips were in the worst condition, while those carrying fuel and chemicals were in the best. Vehicles stopped in the Eastern Traffic Area were in best condition; the worst were in the West Midlands Traffic Area. Rigid vehicles were found to be significantly more likely to be in a poor condition than artics. Of the 1,817 trailers checked, 6.8% were issued immediate prohibitions.
Unpublished figures given to Parliament last week show that from April to September 1997 the VI carried out 48,064 HGV roadworthiness spot checks, 6,650 emissions tests and 5,588 checks on foreign vehicles. During 1996-97 the VI made 93,914 HGV spot checks, with 13,687 emissions tests and 12,821 checks on foreign vehicles.