There have been many posts on here and in the BR about foreign lorry drivers and why they don't get prosecuted.
Well, one year ago last month, GFP's as we know them started to be handed out by VOSA.
The downside is that it has affected UK lorry drivers too, but only if they were illegal anyway.
I say downside because there is no leeway for us anymore to get a 'warning' for any minor misdemeanor, and as VOSA have to be seen to be doing their job by the amount they raise, it's changed lorry driving quite a bit for us.
It's reassuring ( and worth it) to see the figures and statement released by VOSA yesterday on the first 12 months revenue and where it came from.
>>Bad brakes and excess weight are the most common offences among UK and foreign drivers who have been issued with fixed penalties in the past twelve months.
Since 28 May 2009 Graduated Fixed Penalties have been issued by VOSA examiners and those drivers that fail to confirm a satisfactory address within the UK are required to pay the penalty ‘on the spot’.
The rules are part of a wider scheme and depending on the severity of the offence a one off deposit requirement of between £300 and £900 can also be issued. Since the scheme was launched it has generated nearly £ 3.5million.
The number of fixed penalties issued to UK drivers is more than 11,500 and to foreign drivers nearly 22,000.
VOSA Sanctions Manager, Karen Farr said:
The introduction of graduated fixed penalties and deposits has strengthened VOSA's enforcement capabilities. This has meant that not only has the scheme provided an effective sanction for dealing with offending foreign drivers, but has also proved to be a valuable deterrent to all drivers regardless of nationality.
“We have already seen increases in compliance for certain offences now that drivers are aware that we are serious about tackling road safety.” <<
Now they have the power to immobilise a lorry and enforce a full 45 hour break to foreign lorries breaking the drivers hours laws, we've all noticed an increase in EU lorries parking up voluntarily.
Pat
|
>> we've all noticed an increase in EU lorries parking up voluntarily
I've noticed that too, although I tend to pay attention to them more than the average motorist I guess. There are a few decent size laybys near here which always fill up with overnighters by teatime, two EU lorries (from the same firm) spent the entire Christmas break parked in one of them!
>> there is no leeway for us anymore to get a 'warning' for any minor misdemeanour
Just as well I'm not in the business any more then, I've been tugged for between +2% and +5% overweight a handful of times and +12% once* - with the wages the way they are these days a circa £200 smack on the wrist would have me seriously considering my position. :-(
*I was carrying 900kg in a Sprinter SWB. Empty vehicle weighed 2200kg, MAM was 2800kg not 3500kg as I thought. Luckily the load was divisible so I left half of it at a nearby builders' merchant and came back for it a couple of hours later.
|
Shame on you Dave:)
A colleague of mine parked on the services one night last week only to be accosted by a confused Italian driver who spoke little English.
He finally realised that the Italian had an immobilised lorry and from the VOSA paperwork, he was parked up for 45 hours rest.
He was wanting to know if he still had to pay the parking fee of £23 and was most upset to realise he had to pay it twice, once for each 24hr period!
Pat
|
|
It's not just HG drivers that get them. Any driver without a verifiable UK address can get them for a multitude of offences. We issue quite a few of them. Amazing how certain 'caravan towers' can remember a UK address when they are produced.
|
When I did motorway breakdowns, it was surprising how many supposedly potless drivers could find some money when it became clear I was about to leave them by the roadside.
|
Am I correct in thinking that car drivers ( with a UK address) can get them too for offences such as no seat belt/using a phone?
The reason I ask is that I know VOSA can't issue them for a 'moving' offence, so assuming a car is pulled into a multi vehicle agency check, as does happen, I assume they can be issued to them?
Pat
|
|
A UK driver will get issued with a normal FPN for phone/seat belt offences.
|
|
MLC. Would they be the ones with the orange beacons then ? ;-)
Last edited by: Fullchat on Thu 10 Jun 10 at 23:02
|
|
...and three cab occupants as a minimum, i fear!
|
Not to be confused with Wombles who patrol the motorway in battenburgs:)
Pat
|
>> MLC. Would they be the ones with the orange beacons then ? ;-)
>>
Tree cutters R Us!
|
..tree cutters...wombles...beacons...
Am I the only one who doesn't quite get the last few posts in this thread?
I know the idea of policespeak is that only coppers can understand it, but that's a bit pointless on a public internet forum, isn't it?
|
Well, most of this forum goes over my head, so it makes a change for lorry driver speak to rule:)
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Fri 11 Jun 10 at 09:44
|
...so it makes a change for lorry driver speak to rule...
'Wombles' was a term used by service bus drivers in London to describe elderly passengers who used their free passes to ride the buses for hours on end.
|
The Highways Agency are also known as that...............for their ability to wander about a halted motorway very slowly!
Pat
|
Graduated Fixed Penalties - Westpig
