The proposed levels of on-the-spot fines for the Graduated Fixed Penalties and Deposit Scheme will not be high enough to deter foreign operators that break the law, according to senior management at Vosa. The scheme, which is expected to be introduced in the middle of next year, will force drivers to pay £30-£200 depending on the severity of the offence. Examiners will be able to demand deposits and immobilise the vehicle if the request is refused.
Janice James, senior intelligence officer
at Vosa, says: "The level of the fines will not have a substantial impact on foreign hauliers." But Vosa chief executive Stephen Tetlow says the penalties are another "weapon in our armoury" and points out that the new system will put the UK on equal footing with other EU member states.
A two-day international vehicle check in the South-East last week resulted in vehicle examiners checking 56 vehicles and handing out 23 immediate and 11 delayed prohibitions. Traffic examiners checked 45 vehicles and issued 17 prohibitions. Two of the drivers checked on the second night were prohibited from driving for 45 hours because they had taken no weekly rest in the preceding two weeks.
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