§ Mr. Roger Kingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures he has for random checking of heavy good and public service vehicle tachographs.
§ Mrs. ChalkerMy Department's traffic examiners check the tachograph charts on all heavy goods and passenger vehicles during the course of their normal roadside checks. The police also carry out these checks. To assist enforcement, the Department is installing a computerised system for analysing tachograph charts in each of the 11 traffic area offices. This system will enable enforcement staff to check considerably more tachograph charts in future and increase enforcement of the EEC drivers' hours regulation.
The annual roadworthiness test of relevant vehicles includes a check on the presence of a tachograph and integrity of seals. The Department will shortly lay regulations giving effect to a requirement of the EEC tachograph regulation for two-yearly checks of tachograph accuracy and for full recalibration at six-yearly intervals.