§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road haulage vehicles were inspected by the vehicle inspectorate in each of the last three years. [60457]
§ Mr. JamiesonInformation about the vehicle inspectorate's enforcement activities for the three years to the end of March 2001 is published in the inspectorate's Effectiveness Report 2001, a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources were provided for inspections of road haulage vehicles with regard to overloading and vehicle drivers' hours offences, in each of the last three years. [60456]
§ Mr. JamiesonTraffic examiners (TEs) carry out weighings and check compliance with drivers' hours legislation as part of their duties. The vehicle inspectorate (VI) employed 175 TEs in 1999–2000 and 2000–01. The number of TEs increased to 209 at the end of 2001–02 in response to additional funding from the Road Haulage Forum. In addition to VI's network of permanent weighbridge sites, a number of mobile weighpads were introduced in 2000–01 which have improved VI's ability to target its checks. Work will be done in 2002–03 to test electronic tachograph analysis equipment which will improve the examiner's ability to detect drivers' hours and other offences.