Roadside Checks (Hansard, 22 October 2002)

§ Mr. Denham

The table gives details for each force area in England and Wales of the number of roadside checks undertaken, total Vehicle Inspectorate (VI) staff hours worked, hours lost by the VI owing to the lack of a police officer, and total police hours worked. Hours lost by the VI cover circumstances such as where police officers were called away at the time of the check to deal with local emergencies or where officers did not attend as arranged. Numbers of roadside checks where the police gave more than 24 hours' notice of cancellation or where a force could

Area	Police force	No. of checks	Total VI staff hrs	VI lost hrs	Total police hrs
4	Cumbria	119	2581.5	0	1032
4	Lancashire	118	2334	9.5	991.5
5	Derbyshire	146	3545	18	860
5	Greater Manchester	181	4698	24.5	1075.5
5	Cheshire	75	1993	2.5	440.5
6	Cheshire	72	2001	20	479
6	Mersey Tunnel	43	716.5	10.5	199.5
6	Merseyside	84	2821	71	522
6	North Wales	54	1430.5	7.5	358
7	Staffs	57	1133	47.25	266.75
7	West Mercia	10	140	13	24.25
7	West Mids	19	267.5	0	112.75
7	CPMG	47	1128	59.33	194.5
8	Warwickshire	66	1320	0	500
8	West Mercia	72	1575	11	1151
8	West Mids	73	1389	22.5	1141
9	Dyfed	84	1055	27	654

226W

not cover the desired number of checks because a senior police officer decided that the resources needed to go elsewhere are not recorded centrally.

Much of the increasing demand on the police is generated by the current provision that only an officer in uniform can stop vehicles for such purposes as roadworthiness and emissions tests. The police are not always in a position to supply officers to assist the VI in this way, and the Government recognise that police involvement in VI roadside checks may not be seen as the most effective use of police resources. Provisions in the Police Reform Act 2002 enable Community Support Officers and accredited persons to be given the power to stop and direct vehicles for specific purposes. These include for tests by the VI of vehicles' roadworthiness and compliance with construction and use regulations. The Act also removes the present restriction on traffic wardens' powers to stop, so that they can also undertake such functions. These measures will benefit the VI by enabling them to have a higher level of guaranteed service.

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Area	Police force	No. of checks	Total VI staff hrs	VI lost hrs	Total police hrs
9	Gwent	51	1295.5	23.5	658
9	South Wales	84	715.25	7.75	607.5
10	Avon & Somerset	141	2269	8	1260
10	Gloucester	85	928	0	546
10	Wiltshire	92	1175	14	870
11	Devon & Cornwall	168	3656	160.5	1812
11	Dorset	82	1300.5	46.5	1003.5
11	Avon & Somerset	36	833.25	17.5	509.75
11	British Transport	0	0	0	0
12	Hants	22	416.9	11	323
12	Thames Valley	44	742.75	57.5	440.25
12	Wiltshire	2	33	0	17
13	Metropolitan	16	378.5	46	76
13	Surrey	110	2815	37	647.55
13	Sussex	105	1882.1	21	604.17
14	Kent	166	3327.4	64.25	900.05
14	Sussex	69	1265.4	48.5	323.45
15	British Transport	4	55	60	20
15	Heathrow	14	275	2	65
15	Royal Parks	0	0	0	0
15	Metropolitan	165	3655	93.75	779.5
15	City of London	14	155	0	70
16	Metropolitan	0	0	0	0
16	Essex	65	1928.85	10.5	313.75
16	Herts	58	1449.5	120.25	742.5
17	Norfolk	74	1819	130.5	448.5
17	Suffolk	20	380.5	0	126
17	Lines	0	0	0	0
18	Bedfordshire	7	159	4	33.5
18	Northants	19	504.5	69	154
18	Thames Valley	36	1177.75	131.5	223.25
18	Leicestershire	12	274.5	3	157.5
19	Cambridge	49	677.5	26.5	459.5
19	Lines	142	2393.5	24.67	1480
20	Notts	81	2566	4	801.5
20	S Yorks	107	2552.5	12	846.5
20	W Yorks	0	0	0	0
21	Humberside	44	1330.5	54.17	239
22	N Yorks	72	1080.5	16.83	458.75
22	W Yorks	68	1431.5	35	745
23	Cleveland	81	1184	0	482
23	Northumbria	121	1879	2.5	704
23	N Yorks	73	1772	2	444
23	Durham	88	1170	30	516
	Total	4007	83032.65	1783.75	30891.22