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Dept for Transport

Answer

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much funding has been provided to local authorities to enable them to conduct random roadside emissions tests as introduced in regulations in July 2002; [201209] (2) how many cars have failed random roadside emissions tests in each year since 1997; how many fixed penalties have been issued to drivers whose cars have failed random roadside emissions tests; and how many other enforcement actions have been taken against drivers whose cars have failed random roadside emissions tests; [201210] (3) how many vehicles other than cars have failed random roadside emissions tests in each year since 1997; how many fixed penalties have been issued to the owners of these vehicles in the same period; and how many other enforcement actions have been taken against the owners of these vehicles in the same period. [201211] Mr. Jamieson: £1,966,800 has been allocated to local authorities to carry out roadside emissions checks under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002. A pilot scheme allowing seven local authorities to carry out vehicle emissions tests took place between February 1998 and January 1999. Checks were also carried out by local authorities in the financial year 2003-04. The following table shows the number of cars that failed the check and the enforcement action taken. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1998-99 2003-04 Number of failures 2,336 2,100 Failure rate (percentage) 11 7 Fixed penalty 985 1-- Advised 1,351 1-- _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Unknown Relatively few fixed penalties have been issued as the primary purpose of the local authority emissions checking scheme is not to generate revenue but to encourage motorists to regularly service and maintain their cars. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) also carry out emissions checks on all vehicles including cars. VOSA do not issue fixed penalties. Instead, vehicles which fail a roadside emissions check are issued with a prohibition. This prohibits the vehicle from being moved from a date specified in the prohibition notice if the emissions levels are not rectified. The following table shows the numbers of prohibitions (Prb) issued for each category of vehicle failing a VOSA roadside emissions check since 1997and the failure rate as a percentage of all vehicles checked. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Cars Taxis LGV Prb (Percentage) Prb (Percentage) Prb (Percentage) 2003-04 2,555 (4.4) 167 (7.6) 363 (4.4) 2002-03 2,670 (4.6) 138 (5.8) 411 (4.1) 2001-02 2,740 (4.5) 98 (5.1) 382 (3.5) 2000-01 2,536 (4.4) 76 (3.3) 254 (3.0) 1999-2000 1,762 (2.2) 197 (5.3) 220 (1.8) 1998-99 2,419 (3.8) 196 (6.4) 339 (3.6) 1997-98 3,146 (4.1) 347 (8.6) 598 (4-8) HGV PSV Prb (Percentage) Prb (Percentage) 2003-04 36 (0.5) 16 (0.3) 2002-03 59 (0.8) 27 (0.5) 2001-02 78 (0.8) 40 (0.6) 2000-01 101 (1.0) 36 (0.5) 1999-2000 123 (0.8) 45 (0.5) 1998-99 203 (1.7) 99 (1.2) 1997-98 324 (2.5) 198 (1.8) _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

428 c793-4W; 201209;201210;201211

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Cars Finance Enforcement Fixed penalties Exhaust emissions Large goods vehicles Local government Motor vehicles Pollution control Taxis Testing Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk