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Dept of Transport;Vehicle Inspectorate

Answer

Mr. Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many spot-checks are made each year on commercial vehicles to ensure that they comply with exhaust emission standards; what percentage of these have been found in the last available two years to be above the legal limit; and if he will make a statement. [6804] Mr. Bowis: I have asked the chief executive of the Vehicle Inspectorate to write to my hon. Friend. Letter from Ron Oliver to Mr David Tredinnick, dated 29 November 1996: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of spot checks which are made each year on commercial vehicles to ensure that they comply with exhaust emission standards; and what percentage of these have been found in the last available two years to be above the legal limit. Instrumented checks using calibrated test equipment are carried out by the Inspectorate's vehicle examiners. Vehicles found to have exhaust emissions in excess of the legal limit are issued with a prohibition. Details of checks on commercial vehicles for the last two financial years are as follows: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1995-96 1994-95 Instrumented Prohibitions Percentage above Instrumented Prohibitions Percentage above checks issued limit checks issued limit HGV 11,405 350 3.1 12.959 450 3.5 PSV 10,140 247 2.4 7,292 184 2.5 LGV{1} 15,116 954 6.3 n/a n/a n/a Taxis 6,705 784 11.7 n/a n/a n/a _________________________________________________________________________________________________. n/a = not available. {1} LGV - Light Goods Vehicle. Separate data for emissions checks of LGVs and Taxis is not available prior to 1995-96. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Number of HGV offences reported for prosecution _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Scotland 1,818 2,208 2,481 England and Wales 11,514 11,300 12,217 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Number of above offences pursued _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Scotland n/a 1,382 1,501 England and Wales 10,987 10,635 11,314 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Total Number of HGV inspections _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Scotland 30,193 25,376 29,039 England and Wales 210,186 241,841 219,635 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1. Information is not available separately for England and Wales. 2. Number of HGV offences shown as reported for prosecution in England and Wales are those reported to the Inspectorate's internal prosecution service. Figures not available for Scotland.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

6804; 286 c420W;286 c418W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Buses Exhaust emissions Large goods vehicles Motor vehicles Pollution control Taxis Testing

Contains statistics

Yes