Defects found in lorry checks

7:24pm Tuesday 3rd July 2007

ALMOST every goods trailer stopped in a random check was found to have defects.

Officers set up a block on the A3102 at Lyneham and more than 60 goods vehicles were stopped.

Of the vehicles which had trailers under 3.5 tonnes, 95 per cent had faults including defective brakes, brake light and indicators, and no breakaway cable, which allows some control if the tow hitch fails.

The stop-checks were held on Wednesday last week between 8am and 12.30pm.

Sgt Chris Moore from the Wiltshire roads policing unit said: "These were particularly disappointing results with a wide range of offences being found. The roads policing unit are committed to continuing these checks in the future, in conjunction with our partners, to ensure that our roads become safer places for all members of our county."

The operation was a joint effort between the police, the Ministry of Defence police, Customs and Excise, the Vehicle Operating Standards Authority (Vosa) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

The offences included: no seat belts (three); using a mobile phone (one); no MOT (one); document production (21); mechanical prohibitions (vehicle defects) (11); prohibition orders issued for breaking drivers' hours regulations (one); verbal warnings for drivers' hours (four); no insurance reports (two).

In addition, one skip lorry was caught with a tankful of red diesel, which should only be used in agricultural and other tax-exempt vehicles, and three were seized for having no insurance.

The offending skip lorry using red diesel was dealt with on site and then escorted to its operating base for further checks on the company by HM Customs and Excise.