HC Deb 04 November 1996 vol 284 cc366-7W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the number of silent checks aimed at detecting drivers interfering with tachograph records for each of the last 12 months; [1514]

(2) what percentage of heavy goods vehicle spot-checks were undertaken (a) between the hours of 1900 and 0600 on weekdays and (b) at weekends for each of the last two years. [1515]

Mr. Bowis

I have asked the chief executive of the Vehicle Inspectorate executive agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ron Oliver to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 4 November 1996: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the number of silent checks aimed at detecting drivers interfering with tachograph records for each of the last 12 months: and the percentage of HGV spot-checks undertaken (a) between the hours of 1900 and 0600 on weekdays and (b) at weekends for each of the last 2 years. Details of the number of vehicles silent checked with the aim of detecting tachograph interference are as follows:

Month HGV PSV Total
1995
October 404 96 500
November 605 46 651
December 630 13,799 4,429
1996
January 246 535 781
February 262 140 402
March 310 172 482
April 477 78 555
May 447 149 596
June 632 698 1,330
July 576 866 1,442
August 756 354 1,110
September 305 122 427
1 The use of this resource as a significant PSV enforcement tool was reviewed and as a result a special nationwide exercise was carried out in December.
Data on the percentage of HGV spot checks undertaken a) between 1900 and 0600 on weekdays and b) at weekends is not available separately. The total percentage of out-of-hours spot checks carried out between 1900 and 0600 and at weekends (against an agreed 5$ minimum target) for each of the last 2 financial years is:
  • 1994/95: 9.25$
  • 1995/96: 7.49$