New partnership targets unsafe drivers and operators in London
A new joint enforcement partnership aims to reduce the number of unsafe lorry drivers and operators in London.
From today (13 October 2015), the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will take part in a new joint enforcement partnership which aims to reduce the number of unsafe lorry drivers and operators in London.
The London Freight Enforcement partnership is made up of officers from the:
- DVSA
- Transport for London (TfL)
- the Metropolitan Police Service
- the City of London Police
It brings together expertise from the different organisations and will carry out joint intelligence-led operations in the capital.
Roadside checks
The police and DVSA have the power to carry out spot checks on commercial vehicles. They’re carried out to keep unsafe vehicles off the road.
The officers check that the driver and vehicle aren’t breaking any rules and regulations.
They have the power to issue:
- a prohibition, which stops the driver from driving until they get a problem with their vehicle fixed
- fixed penalties if the driver commits an offence
Find out more about roadside vehicle checks for commercial drivers.
Builds on the success of the HGV Task Force
The partnership builds on the success of the Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) Task Force.
The task force was set up in October 2013 to reduce the number of cyclist fatalities caused by heavy goods vehicles.
Figures showed that 53% of cyclist fatalities in London between 2008 and 2013 involved direct contact with an HGV.
The task force is made up of officers from the same organisations as the new London Freight Enforcement partnership.
The HGV Task Force is jointly funded by TfL and the Department for Transport.
Task force successes
Over the last 2 years, the task force has:
- targeted and stopped more than 6,030 vehicles
- seized 87 vehicles
- referred 4,500 cases for prosecutions
- issued 2,134 fixed penalty notices
In March 2015, the task force was also recognised as the first permanent multi-agency team dedicated to targeting offences by the most dangerous commercial vehicles. The task force was awarded with the Worshipful Company of Carmen’s Royal Logistic Corps Safety Award for 2014.
Keeping the capital’s roads safe
Transport Minister, Lord Ahmad, said:
The London Freight Enforcement Partnership builds on the success of the Industrial HGV Task Force. By working together, officers from different agencies will use their experience and knowledge to deter and detect illegal activity by freight operators and drivers.
The government is committed to improving road safety and innovative initiatives such as this help to keep the capital’s roads safe.
TfL’s Managing Director of Surface Transport, Leon Daniels, said:
We’re determined to clear London’s streets of unsafe HGVs, so I’m delighted that we have launched the London Freight Enforcement Partnership.
The lessons learned from our successful Industrial HGV Task Force have been adopted by the new partnership, which will make our streets even safer for all road users and help build a fairer industry for all freight operators.