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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Mr. Lock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many inspectors were employed or engaged by the Vehicle Inspectorate in each of the last 10 years; and how many vehicles were inspected in each year. [90413] Ms Glenda Jackson: Information in a consistent form is available only for the last five years. Prior to that date the data are not available, or could be obtained only at disproportionate costs. The information for the period since 1993-94 is presented in the table. The Vehicle Inspectorate employs testers to carry out statutory annual tests on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), passenger service vehicles (PSVs) and some light goods vehicles (LGVs). This is a demand-led activity. Vehicle examiners (VEs) carry out enforcement inspections on all types of vehicles to check their mechanical condition and traffic examiners (TEs) check compliance with traffic regulations including weighing and tachograph charts. The Inspectorate's performance measures have, during the period covered, increasingly encouraged examiners to target those vehicles which are considered most likely to be committing offences. This has increased the effectiveness of the checks in terms of road safety and environmental protection. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1998-99 1997-98 1996-97 1995-96 1994-95 Number of testers employed 438 394 393 448 {1}273 Number of vehicles 988,491 970,775 968,426 959,727 981,298 tested{2} Number of voluntary 38,016 36,902 29,965 {4}25,124 10.224 tests{3} Number of vehicle examiners 252 248 235 235 229 employed Number of traffic examiners 189 166 162 159 163 employed Number of HGVs and trailers 132,826 158,289 171,203 162,607 188.099 examined for roadworthiness{5} Number of HGVs checked for 161,288 192,573 214,924 248,674 267,217 traffic enforcement{6} Number of HGVs checked at 12,149 12,812 13,887 11,406 n/a emission spot checks Number of PSVs examined for 26,394 34,484 35,921 30,787 32,338 roadworthiness{5} Number of PSVs checked for 18,183 30,436 30,435 38,306 39,036 traffic enforcement{4} Number of PSVs checked at 7,940 10,867 11,001 10.140 n/a emission spot checks Number of LGVs{7} examined 13,810 17,481 19,964 18,326 19,992 for roadworthiness{5} Number of LGVs checked for 9,671 10,879 14,108 21,830 n/a traffic enforcement{5} Number of LGVs checked at 76,253 93,156 99,446 108,757 n/a emission spot checks _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Figure does not include all grades of staff carrying out testing work due to the way in which information was recorded at the time. {2} Includes tests and retests of HGVs, PSVs and LGVs. A vehicle may be retested more than once. {3} Test carried out in VI's test stations designed to aid test preparation or for routing maintenance. Checks available for brake tests, headlamp aim, smoke check or multi-check. {4} From 1995-96, voluntary brake tests were based on number of axles tested. Figures include brake checks on axles, headlamp aim checks, smoke checks and multi-checks. {5} Figure includes vehicles inspected at the roadside and at operator's premises for mechanical condition. A vehicle will be counted in the figure for roadworthiness inspections and traffic enforcement inspections if it has been checked by both a VE and a TE. {6} Figure includes documentation checks and weighings. Figure does not include the number of individual tachograph charts checked. TEs checked 1,417,646 tachograph charts in 1998-99. {7} Cars, vans, taxis and non-testable vehicles (eg mobile cranes, mechanical diggers) n/a Figure not available.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

90413; 335 c376W;335 c378W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Inspections Motor vehicles Staff Vehicle Inspectorate

Contains statistics

Yes