07-03-06 VOSA celebrates successful Power to Stop Operation in Cheshire
The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) has recently carried out a successful pilot check in the Cheshire Area.
Cheshire is the latest Police Area where VOSA has been accredited authority to stop and inspect goods and passenger vehicles for spot checks. The Police Reform Act 2002 allows Chief Constables to accredit VOSA staff with the power to stop goods and passenger vehicles. The Power to Stop scheme has already been established throughout England and Wales.
In Cheshire VOSA examiners stopped and inspected 13 vehicles 8 out of which committed an offence. Out of the ten Heavy Goods Vehicles six vehicles were issued a prohibition notice and two out of the three Light Goods Vehicles were prohibited for driving.
The examiners issued the following prohibitions:
• 5 mechanical prohibitions one of which was ‘S’ marked to indicate the significant failure of the operators maintenance system);
• 1 LGV overload which was 33% on the rear axle leading to a prosecution report;
• 1 foreign HGV was overloaded;
• 1 Drivers’ Hours offence was committed.
The biggest success of the day involved the Power to Stop driver detecting an unlicensed Polish driver who was driving an overloaded vehicle without the appropriate class of driving licence. VOSA examiners issued two mechanical prohibitions, the Polish driver was arrested and his vehicle was impounded.
VOSA officers now operate in Cheshire using their liveried Ford Galaxies with yellow and black battenburg side markings, yellow and orange chevrons at the rear and a roof bar with amber lights and variable matrix signing. All VOSA accredited staff are uniformed and have received Police training in how to safely stop vehicles.
With the support of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and a new legislation from Westminster VOSA is trying to get accreditation to have stopping powers in Scotland in 2007 to track down more defective and overloaded vehicles and tired drivers.
-ENDS-
Notes to the editor:
VOSA is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. VOSA is responsible for:
• Processing applications for licences to operate lorries and buses and registering bus services
• Operating and administering testing schemes for all vehicles, including the supervision of the MOT testing scheme
• Enforcing the law on vehicles to ensure that they comply with legal standards and regulations
• Enforcing drivers' hours and licensing requirements
• Supporting Traffic Commissioners to help them make informed decisions on operator licensing, vocational drivers and bus registration requirements
• Providing training and advice for commercial operators
• Investigating vehicle accident, defects and recalls
For media enquiries about VOSA please contact: Zita Galambosi on 0117 954 2561 or zita.galambosi@vosa.gsi.gov.uk or contact Henry Norman on 0117 954 3208 or send an email to Henry.Norman@vosa.gsi.gov.uk.
Page last updated: 25/09/2006