Gordon Brown has received general praise for his proposals of extra funding to target law-breaking foreign hauliers. Efforts began last summer with the South East International Pilot in Kent, where VOSA officials stopped foreign vehicles suspected of prohibitions.
The Treasury confirms that funding for the pilot will increase to £4.7m in 2007/08, from £1.5m when it began. A spokesman says the pilot will "expand over to wider geographical areas over the next couple of years," adding that
port areas will be the main targets.
FTA external affairs director Geoff Dossetter says: "Additional funding for enforcement will obviously help contain or even reduce this problem. However, FTA continues to call for the establishment of a scheme which would register details of foreign vehicles working in the UK and also make a charge on their so doing."
The RHA echoed the FTA's position on the enhanced enforcement scheme. Chief executive Roger King says: "The RHA welcomes this stronger enforcement which starts next month. We have been pressing hard for action against foreign firms running illegally."
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