An email from a VOSA manager to his area staff has cast some doubt over the education and ‘light touch’ enforcement which the agency says accompanies new regulations.
The email entitled ‘PG9s galore’ was sent out at the end of December detailing the next phase of speed limiter regulations for LCVs. It includes a PDF of the regulations and advice to VOSA enforcement staff about properly identifying vehicles before taking enforcement
action. It concludes "once you become familiar with the new regulations it will be like shelling peas when it comes to the number of prohibitions issued".
The operator who sent us the email prefers to remain nameless, but says: "I find it difficult to comprehend VOSA’s attitude. As operators we are constantly told by VOSA that their role is to improve standards by working with operators and educating them. As you can see from this email, they say one thing to the transport industry and another to their enforcement operatives."
However, a VOSA statement says: "VOSA will be applying an educational approach to speed limiter enforcement with operators of vehicles now falling into scope.
"VOSA will adopt a 'light touch' approach to the enforcing of new legislation when appropriate. We will always take a lead from the Department for Transport as to how they expect new legislation to be enforced; in the particular instance of speed limiter enforcement our approach
here is to educate and advise in the first instance.
"Enforcement action will only be taken where it is clear that previous advice has not been taken or where there is clear evidence of abuse, for example, tampering with systems after they have been correctly installed and set.
"The managerial focus is to achieve a balance between Enforcement and Education. The e-mail you possess should not be interpreted in any way as a departure from this Policy."
James Hookham, director of policy at the Freight Transport Association, says: "VOSA’s raison d’etre is to raise safety standards, not to notch up prohibitions or prosecutions. Education is the best way they can do that."
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