ore offences but trucks become safer
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• by Tim Maughan Tachograph and drivers hours violations more than doubled last year, according to a Vehicle Inspectorate survey—but the condition of trucks on Britain's roads is improving.
During April the VI examined 3,388 randomly selected trucks and 1,449 trailers; 12% of the HGVs and 12.6% of the trailer's attracted prohibitions. In a similar survey last year prohibitions were imposed on 16.6% of HGVs and 15.1% of trailers.
But traffic offences more than doubled over the same period. In 1997 breaches of the tachograph, hours or 0-licence rags were discovered in 4.2% of the vehicles checked; last year the proportion had risen to 10.8%.
A VI spokesman says: "Traffic law compliance does seem to have worsened, but the Vi is targeting more serious offences," In the same period fines imposed for HGV traffic offences increased by 13%, he adds.
VI product policy director Hugh Edwards says: "It is encouraging that prohibitions fell in 1998 by about 4% com
pared to 1997, though at about 12% they are still too high.
'And it is disappointing that there was a significant increase in traffic offences found this year [1998], in particular in drivers' hours and tachographs.
"Put together, these results reinforce our view that there are significant numbers of operators whose standards need to be improved."
• Road freight grew by 1% between 1997 and 1998, compared with a elD/o rise from 1998-7, says the Department of Transport.