Hauliers that run dangerous trucks are set to come under further pressure from a new effort at co-operation between four of the UK's main enforcement agencies.
VOSA, the Highways Agency (HA), Transport Scotland and Traffic Wales are undertaking a multi-agency effort to share information in order to crack down on non-compliant trucks.
Mark Warden, VOSA stakeholder manager, says: "We all want to reduce the number of non-compliant HGVs and drivers operating on the strategic road network. The initiatives will encourage greater alliance and information sharing between agencies."
VOSA's recently opened check site at Sandbach Services is part of the new effort due to the fact that it is close to traffic accident hotspots and congestion areas.
VOSA says that reducing congestion should be one of the benefits of the new co-operative effort. The agency says that although trucks account for only 4% of accidents, because of the relative size and seriousness of HGV accidents, they have a disproportionate effect on congestion. HGV accidents are believed to cause 20% of incident-related congestion, says VOSA.
In addition to stepping up its compliance effort, VOSA has also worked with the Health & Safety Executive and the HA to distribute leaflets in nine different languages to alert drivers to the dangers of poorly-loaded vehicles.
VOSA is also making an effort to try new technology such as underbody scanning and thermal imaging to identify vehicle defects, both of which are being used at Holyhead.
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