Top LA calls for more effort on hours
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• Enforcement staff should switch their efforts from overloading checks to the growing problem of drivers' hours offences, says Senior Licensing Authority Ronald Ashford. At last week's Freight Transport Association conference he said there is "no rationale" for the level of check weighings, which he estimates is running at more than 175,000 a year. "What is the purpose?" he asked FTA delegates. "The Highways Agency refuses to contribute to the weighing budget since it does not consider that lorries are a significant cause of road damage. Police put overloaded vehicles towards the bottom of their list of the cause of accidents. And there is no evidence of persistent offenders. On the other hand, traffic examiners and police are convinced that the abuse of drivers hours is extensive—the VI prosecuted 50% more cases in 93/94."
Ashford also repeated his calls for the Government to allow the confiscation of trucks from cowboy operators, and for transport users to be required to check that the hauliers they employ have 0-licences.