Roads Minister Stephen Hammond is giving more power to local traffic police officers, allowing them to issue on the spot fines to foreign drivers of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) caught driving whilst tired on British roads.
The Department of Transport has closed a loophole that used to prevent foreign drivers from legal prosecution because they didn’t have a UK address, and therefore could not be issued a court summons.
British road haulage campaigners, who have long complained that the way rules applied to them are different from the rules for foreign drivers, welcomed the announcement which, in their view, will restore equality, the Express reports.
According to Hammond, tired drivers are more likely to cause accidents, which is why the number of hours spent driving is limited for professionals. However, some drivers ignore the restrictions, thus putting the road safety of others at risk, he pointed out
Issuing fines for this offence will help effectively combat irresponsible driving by both foreign and UK drivers, Hammond noted.
The Road Haulage Association was glad of the news, saying the government is finally taking steps to put British haulage companies on an equal footing with their European competitors. According to the association, whilst ensuring road health and safety the new measures will also ensure equality for British and foreign drivers. By ignoring the rules foreign companies can easily cut costs and thus put British firms at a disadvantage when bidding for contracts, the association noted.
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