Two thirds of HGVs failing to comply, says report06 January 2014

A police operation to check heavy goods vehicles has revealed that two thirds of lorries driven in and around London are defective or being driven illegally, according to a report in The Times today (6 January 2014).

The article says 821 vehicles were stopped during the first two months of the operation, 622 of which failed to comply with existing safety regulations. Less than 4% had mirrors and safety equipment, such as side bars to prevent cyclists being crushed, despite these being a legal requirement.

Only a quarter complied with maintenance regulations, and 243 drivers were fined for breaches, including driving without a licence or insurance, excess hours, or with unsafe loads.

Met Police officers seized 14 vehicles, including an 18-tonne scaffolding lorry whose driver was uninsured and without a proper licence.

The newspaper also reports that Met Police figures show that between January and November 2013, a staggering 70% of vehicles stopped and checked were found to have defects or were being driven illegally.

Author
Laura Cork

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