§ Mr. Peter Reesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many convictions there have been during the past 12 months as a result of overweight lorries travelling on the highway; and of those lorries how many were registered in the United Kingdom and how many registered abroad.
§ Mr. PeytonUntil recently overloaded foreign lorries were in practice beyond the law. The Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act, 1972, which came into force in July has remedied this. Prohibiting the movement of such vehicles is a more effective sanction than court proceedings.
So far as British lorries are concerned, there were 4,352 convictions in England and Wales in 1971; most related to more than one offence. Figures of convictions for Scotland are not readily available, but my Department alone has initiated 348 prosecutions in the last 12 months; most of these were successful.
§ Mr. Peter Reesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many lorries attempting to enter the country during the past 12 months were found to be overweight; and of those lorries how many were registered in the United Kingdom and how many abroad.
§ Mr. PeytonRegular checks on incoming foreign vehicles started on 1st August, 1972, when the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act, 1972, came into404W force. Since that date 102 foreign vehicles have been found to be overweight. Records do not distinguish between British vehicles checked at ports and elsewhere.