§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the checks that are made to ensure that coaches of 18 or 19 tonnes registered in other European countries are not operating on United Kingdom roads.
§ Mr. KeyOnly coaches with three axles may operate legally on British roads at weights over 17 tonnes. The Vehicle Inspectorate has powers to weigh and prohibit coaches operating on British roads in excess of the weights permitted by British regulations. During 1993 the Vehicle Inspectorate carried out a special weighing exercise targeting international traffic. A total of 402 vehicles were stopped, of these 80 were foreign. Of the 13 foreign vehicles prohibited, 10 were registered in EC states.
§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in the last year for which figures are available coaches of 18 or 19 tonnes registered in other European countries were found to be operating on United Kingdom roads; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KeyMy Department does not collate statistics on the number of foreign coaches of 18 or 19 tonnes operating on British roads. Only coaches with three axles may legally operate over 17 tonnes on British roads. Two-axle coaches are restricted to 17 tonnes.