HC Deb 01 February 1984 vol 53 cc230-1W
Mr. Snape

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what advice regarding new enforcement guidelines has been issued by his Department concerning the prohibition or the prosecution of overloaded heavy goods vehicles; and in which traffic areas these new enforcement guidelines will apply.

Mrs. Chalker

I understand that clerks to most traffic areas have written on behalf of the licensing authorities to the other enforcement authorities in their areas. In their letters, they draw attention to the guidelines being adopted by the licensing authorities and suggesting that the other authorities adopt similar practices in the interests of uniformity of enforcement.

Licensing authorities are not subject to the direction of Ministers in taking decisions on licensing or enforcement cases.

Mr. Snape

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations have been received from local authorities regarding a report prepared by the eastern and east midlands traffic areas of his Department which led to a number of his Department's traffic areas asking local authorities to follow a new policy of prohibiting goods vehicles overloaded by 5 per cent. to 10 per cent. instead of prosecuting the users as had hitherto been the case.

Mrs. Chalker

The local authorities co-ordinating body on trading standards has told my Department that it disagrees with the conclusions of the report.

Mr. Snape

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any information regarding the number of goods vehicle operators whose licences have been revoked, based on cases of prohibition rather than prosecutions, as a result of overloading of goods vehicles.

Mrs. Chalker

Information about the reasons for revocation of licences is not readily available. Persistent overloading may be only one of several factors in a particular case. But since the new practice of prohibiting rather than prosecuting certain offenders has only recently been introduced, it is unlikely that there have been many such cases.

Mr. Snape

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold discussions with the local authorities co-ordinating body on trading standards regarding the prohibition and the prosecution of overloaded heavy goods vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Chalker

My officials are in close touch with officers of LACOTS on this question.

Forward to