1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156 
Fines fine for foreign drivers Welcome security boost
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ik A Wiltshire traffic officer has hit back at claims of police inaction against foreign haulier's but accepts that on-the-spot fines are needed to stop them flouting UK laws.
PC Tim Read says that there are already laws in place which allow police to arrest drivers and put them before the next available court. However, this is only in the most serious of cases and it is often impractical as it can mean taking the traffic patrol off the road to handle the paperwork. There are also human rights implications.
Minor offences such as dri vers' hours breaches are usually dealt with by issuing a proteition but Read argues that these are treated by many foreign hauliers as -occupational hazards".
"The only thing that would make a real difference to this attitude would be if foreign companies were hit where it hurts—their pockets. The police do not have enough trained officers or time to deal with these additional court hearings.
-For whatever reason, the powers that be will not allow us to deal at the roadside. Until we can issue instant fines I personally can see no way ahead and more deaths will ensue due to poorly trained,
overworked drivers being pushed to the limit by the companies to make more money,"
• Earlier this year the DoT said that the UK might introduce roadside fines for foreign hauliers CM20-26 June).
• Truck drivers seeking protection for highvalue loads when taking a rest could soon be corralled into specially secure areas at motorway service stations.
Welcome Break, which operates 26 service stations, says the compounds would be protected by closed circuit TV and electronic sensors, as well as fencing.
Business development manager Alan Forte says securing entire truck parks is too costly; "What we are currently looking at is putting in smaller corralled areas that might take half-adozen trucks. There is a growing demand, certainly from insurers, to make sure security is adequate and in most cases a bloke with a torch is not enough."
Forte says the first compounds could be open next year and may be operated as part of a national network of secure parking areas, working in conjunction with other companies.
Welcome Break charges £7.50 for overnight truck parking or £10 if a £5 meal voucher is included. Forte says hauliers have indicated they would be prepared to pay up to £20 for secure parking. The figure I had in mind was no more than £15," he reports.
He adds that although places in the compounds would need to be booked, the use of electronic sensors and moveable fencing would allow them to be expanded.
But Tony Allen, chairman of the Road Haulage Association security committee, warns that the compound idea could end up encouraging rather than deterring criminals because high-value loads will be so clearly singled out. "It will attract professional criminals and they will resort to force if necessary," he warns.
Allen believes that Welcome Break is not going far enough to meet hauliers' needs for improved security facilities.