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Cross Border Clampdown on ‘Cowboy’ Hauliers
Illegal hauliers are facing a double whammy, with authorities on both sides of the border taking some serious action against them.
 Road checks have been set up across the Republic, while in the north the Driver & Vehicle Agency has launched the first in a series of special intelligence led enforcement operations throughout the Province.
Export & Freight has been out and about with enforcement officers and certainly we’ve had our eyes well and truly opened. In one operation, seven in every 10 trucks stopped had either defects of varying degrees or were breaking the regulations in other ways, while during another, every single lorry stopped had problems!
The DVA tells us the Northern Ireland campaign is aimed at uncovering operators and drivers of goods vehicles who flout the law and ultimately place road users at risk. This latest clampdown follows a recent compliance survey in the province that revealed over 50% of goods vehicles using NI roads were found to be committing one or more significant offences or had one or more serious mechanical defects present when scrutinised by Enforcement Officers.
The new campaign, which was launched on the A1 dual carriageway at Sprucefield, outside Lisburn, will extend across the Province over the coming weeks and will be supported by officers from PSNI Roads Policing, HMRC Road Fuel Testing Unit and DVA’s Vehicle Excise Evasion Team.
A comprehensive range of new technology and vehicles test equipment is being deployed to detect those breaking the law; this also enables more in-depth evaluation of vehicle condition including braking performance at the roadside.
DVA Chief Executive Brendan Magee told Export & Freight:“Effectively enforcing vehicle and driver compliance at the roadside is crucial if we are to succeed in reducing the number of unsafe drivers and vehicles using our roads, we want to ensure fair competition throughout the haulage industry and protect our road and bridge networks.
“These operations are focused on deterring those drivers and operators prepared to operate illegally. Where appropriate prosecution action will be instigated and operator licences curtailed, suspended or revoked.”
During our time at the Sprucefield operation, some 70% of trucks stopped had one or more defects or were breaking the regulations. Another, held near Newry on a recent Sunday – which took most drivers by ‘surprise’ – found that every single commercial vehicle stopped was in one way or another breaking the law!
Republic
If cowboy operators think they’ll get away with it across the border, they better think again!
Garda traffic officers, backed up by customs officials, have launched a concerted campaign to clamp down on illegal hauliers across the Republic.
They’ve been staging a series of road checks targeting unlicensed haulage operators, untaxed fuel and illegal waste transportation. The move follows claims that up to a fifth of all hauliers working in Ireland are bogus.
Assistant Garda Commissioner Eddie Rock told Export & Freight:“An Garda Siochana recognises the importance of having a vibrant and effective haulage industry, and we equally recognise that the vast majority of hauliers are respectable and reputable, but we believe there are also a significant number of operators who are not registered or licensed.”
He said the Garda would significantly increase its own enforcement and also engage in Multi-Agency checkpoints with a view to identifying unlicensed haulage activity whilst at the same time ensuring the least possible inconvenience for bona fide hauliers.
He added that during the remainder of this year Garda will place an increased emphasis on enforcement generally with specific emphasis on haulage from quarries etc by those who are not in conformity with legislation such as being unlicensed or otherwise in serious breach of road transport legislation.
Hauliers entering from other jurisdictions without proper documentation will also be subject to increased enforcement activity at ports and border crossings.
In addition, there will be multi-agency checkpoints to identify untaxed fuel and the illegal transportation of waste material, as well as increased monitoring enforcement of speed by lorries and buses throughout the remainder of the year.
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