§ Sir Patrick Wallasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many Dutch lorries have been stopped and prosecuted, respectively for overloading in Humberside.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke:I regret that figures are not available for the whole of Humberside, but of 442 Dutch vehicles checked by my Department in and around Hull since January 1980, 60 were found to be seriously overloaded, and were prohibited from travelling further until the excess load had been removed. This practice of immediate prohibition imposes a substantial cost on the operator and has proved a more effective deterrent than prosecution, since summonses cannot be enforced once the 86W driver has left the country. Drivers are prosecuted where this is practicable. Drivers of 2 of the 60 vehicles were in fact prosecuted.