§ Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the appropriate authorities have successfully used the provisions of the Transport Act 2000 to impound illegally operated goods vehicles; and, if so, whether they believe that this will improve road safety. [HL3257]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe Vehicle Inspectorate has used the provisions in the Transport Act 2000 to detain 11 goods vehicles operated without the required operator's licence. One of the main purposes of the operator licensing system is to improve road safety. Penalising those who choose to operate outside the system therefore strengthens road safety.
§ Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it would be desirable to allow commercial vehicle leasing and hiring companies access to the TAN 21 computer system in order that they can avoid hiring a goods vehicle to a person who does not hold the appropriate operator's licence. [HL3258]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonWe agree that it is desirable, as a matter of good practice, for commercial vehicle hiring and leasing companies to check that customers produce satisfactory documentation about their licence status. In addition, the Traffic Area Network (TAN) is examining ways of enabling those companies to verify the information, including the option of placing an extract of the TAN 21 licence database on the TAN's proposed website.
§ Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is realistic to expect commercial vehicle leasing and hiring companies constantly to monitor Applications and Decisions published by each of the traffic commissioners in order to avoid hiring a goods vehicle to a person who does not hold the appropriate operator's licence. [HL3259]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonTheApplications and Decisions publication gives a snap-shot of recent activity on goods vehicle operator licensing in a specific part of the country but it does not provide a comprehensive list of the licences in issue. I refer the noble Earl to my Answer given today to his other Question (HL3258) on ways of checking the licence status of operators.
§ Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
At what point it will be possible for a goods vehicle operator electronically to notify his traffic area office of the addition of a hire vehicle to his fleet and for the hirer to be able to confirm that notification electronically before releasing the vehicle. [HL3260]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe facility for operators to notify vehicle changes on goods vehicle operator licences electronically will be piloted in the spring. Depending on the results of that pilot, the150WA service will be progressively rolled out to all licence holders during the summer. In order to guard against the risk of one of its vehicles being impounded a hire company need only satisfy itself that its customer has an operator's licence. I refer the noble Earl to my Answer given today to his other Question (HL3258).