§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Transport with what regularity he undertakes with the police spot checks on road vehicles to ascertain to what extent the law is being broken; and how many such checks he has made since the Budget and with what results so far as reports and prosecution for offences are concerned.
§ Mr. CarmichaelSpot checks are carried out by Ministry Examiners with the police to enforce the law on vehicle fitness, overloading, drivers' hours of work, and carriers licensing. Checks are214W carried out at irregular intervals to avoid giving advance warning.
Figures of the number of checks carried out since the Budget are not yet available, but during the year ended 30th September, 1967, 142,831 goods vehicles were inspected at roadside checks or at operators' premises. 55,695 vehicles were found to be mechanically defective and 2,015 prosecutions were brought by the Ministry. The majority of prosecutions for defective vehicles were, however, brought by the police, but the figures are not readily available. As a result of other checks, the Ministry brought 1,424 prosecutions for carriers' licensing offences and 5,284 prosecutions for drivers' hours and records offences.
During the same period 12,720 private cars, light vans and motor cycles were inspected by Ministry examiners at roadside checks. 6,473 were found to be defective for the following reasons:
Defective brakes 3,405 Defective silencers 951 Defective steering equipment 2,725 Defective tyres 779 Defective lights 2,499 Some vehicles failed on more than one count. All prosecutions were taken by the police and figures are not readily available.