HC Deb 15 January 1990 vol 165 cc33-4W
Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police prosecutions, under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, of vehicles producing excessive smoke, have taken place in each of the last five years.

Mr. John Patten

[holding answer 12 January 1990] : The available information is given in the table for 1985 and 1986. The emission of smoke proceedings were brought under the Motor Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations 1978.

Proceedings at Magistrates courts in England and Wales
1985 1986
Emission of smoke etc. causing danger 286 338
Other emission of smoke offences 389 309

Sources: Offences relating to motor vehicles England and Wales 1985, 1986 Supplementary tables. Published by the Home Office.

Since 1987, the statistics collected no longer separately identify offences of emission of smoke. Since October 1986, vehicles defect offences can also be dealt with by the use of fixed penalties, but emission of smoke offences are not shown separately in these statistics.