Police find 26 of 30 vans are safety risk

POLICE who stopped vans and other commercial vehicles in a day of action in Yate found almost all of them were "in an unsafe condition".

Out of 30 vehicles stopped during the crackdown, 26 were issued with prohibition notices by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, which meant they had to be taken off the road immediately due to the risk they posed to other road users.

Avon & Somerset police said that in addition, five vehicles were in a "dangerous" condition, ten had insecure loads and one in five were illegally overloaded, with defective lights and worn tyres also reported.

Five drivers had no insurance, two had no licence for the class of vehicle they were driving, three vehicles had no MOT and one was not taxed.

One person was arrested after failing a drug-driving test and three people were seen not using a seatbelt.

A total of 52 offences were recorded and in addition to the 26 prohibitions, three vehicles were seized, three motorists given warnings, 17 reported for traffic offences and three ordered to repair defects.

The day of action in February, named Operation Trader, also involved council licensing teams, trading standards, the Environment Agency, HM Revenue & Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Sergeant Steve Whatley said: “While it is disappointing to find such a high proportion of vehicles fail to meet the necessary safety standards, it has highlighted the value of agencies working together.

“Using a poorly-maintained vehicle at the very least increases the risk of mechanical breakdown but worse, can cause a collision which would put both the driver and innocent parties at risk.

“One vehicle was found to be carrying 50 per cent over its weight limit, which had the potential to dramatically affect the driver’s ability to steer and brake safely.

“Road safety is incredibly important and we hope these findings are a wake-up call to those who found their vehicles were not at the required standard."

He said similar events are planned across the force area throughout the year.

DVSA director of enforcement Marian Kitson said: "This operation has served to remind drivers of their responsibilities to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, safely loaded, and their drivers are fit to drive. There is no excuse for poorly maintained vehicles on the road."

Environment Agency staff checked details of waste carriers, who were all found to be registered.

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