There has been a major increase in European registered heavy goods vehicles receiving “Prohibition” notices. Many of these HGV’s are driving through Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, the gateway counties, from Ireland on their way to the rest of the UK or back from the UK in order to take advantage of cheaper fuel in Ireland before they continue their journey by ferry to France and onto the rest of Europe.
These “Prohibition” notices are issued for lorries being overloaded, mechanically defective or for tachograph offences. The number of “Prohibition” notices is staggering, according to the Police Federation one particular company often on our local roads, Nolan Transport, has received 4167 notices in the last 5 years.
In 2008, we heard of the horrific deaths of six family members from Llandudno who were killed by a Portuguese lorry driver on the M6. Recent figures show that, 33% of Irish lorries and 37% of Portuguese lorries are prohibited, 20% of Nolan drivers break the limits on work hours, 34% of Nolan drivers are overloaded and more than 50% of Nolan lorries are not roadworthy.
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Assembly Member Angela Burns raised this issue in the Assembly with the Transport Minister and is seeking more collaboration between agencies to try and reverse the situation. Mrs Burns said “This is just not acceptable, and I will be working with The Police, VOSA, The UK Borders Agency and the Welsh Assembly Government to see what can be done about this worrying situation. WAG have invested in Traffic Officers but they have no powers and there appears to be little if any coordination between the WAG Traffic Officers and the Highways Authorities. Britain’s Traffic Commissioners licence every UK based haulier and will revoke licences but have no power to stop or control foreign hauliers entering the country.
I was shocked to hear of how some companies seem to completely disregard UK law and this puts our own well run companies at a complete disadvantage. They can be stopped and prosecuted but EU registered lorries can essentially get away with murder. How come the EU with it’s draconian laws seems to have such an impact on Welsh and British life and yet other Countries don’t put their companies under the same rules?
It seems ludicrous that we can stop faulty products from entering the country yet we cannot touch the less than scrupulous operations that bring them in, with rising fuel costs and the police becoming ever busier this is a recipe for disaster.”
