This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Pilot scheme is launched to target unlicensed heavy goods vehicles in Scotland
09/01/1998
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF DRIVER AND VEHICLE LICENSING AGENCY
A pilot scheme aimed at targeting unlicensed Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) in Scotland starts today. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency along with the Vehicle Inspectorate have taken new measures to tighten the net on Heavy Goods Operators who evade Vehicle Excise Duty on their vehicles. It is estimated there are around 1,150 unlicensed HGV's on the roads in Scotland costing the country over £1.8 million in lost revenue. (See notes to editors for area split.) Nationally the loss is estimated at £23m.
From January 12, the Vehicle Inspectorate Testing Stations throughout Scotland, who carry out annual HGV tests will check that the vehicle is displaying a valid tax disc. If the vehicle is not displaying the valid tax disc, details will be passed to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency at Swansea where the record will be checked. If a licence has not been taken out soon after the test, DVLA will be chasing up the Heavy Goods Operators wanting to know why. If the answer is unsatisfactory further investigative work will be done, which could result in fines of up to £25,000 plus backduty penalties and costs.
Hywel Harris, a DVLA spokesman said: "The message is clear, DVLA will have the numbers of those who are suspected of using unlicensed vehicles after the annual test and will be keeping a close eye on them.
"The aim of the scheme is to encourage relicensing and to bring to book those who continue to flout the law. Honest HGV operators who regularly pay their road tax are fed up with seeing this hard core who continually dodge payment."
BACKGROUND
1. It is not an offence to take an unlicensed vehicle to and from a test, provided the test has been pre-booked.
2. There is evidence that substantial numbers of unlicensed vehicles are often uninsured and have no valid test certificate. This initiative has clear benefits for road safety.
3. It is estimated there are around 1,150 Heavy Goods Vehicles throughout Scotland. Potential revenue loss £1.8 million.
Central Scotland - £120,000 - (100 unlicensed HGVs)
Dumfries & Galloway - £100,000 - (100 unlicensed HGVs)
Fife - £80,000 - ( 50 unlicensed HGVs)
Grampian - £240,000 - (100 unlicensed HGVs)
Lothian & Borders - £280,000 - (200 unlicensed HGVs)
Northern - £120,000 - (100 unlicensed HGVs)
Strathclyde - £710,000 - (400 unlicensed HGVs)
Tayside - £150,000 - (100 unlicensed HGVs)
Total - £1,800,000 - (1,150 unlicensed HGVs)
Throughout Great Britain it is estimated there are around 13,000 unlicensed HGV's costing £23m in lost revenue. The loss of revenue nationally from Vehicle Excise Duty evasion during 1996/97 was around £175m.
4. During 1996/97, over 300 Heavy Goods Operators were penalised throughout Scotland for not having a current tax disc and paid over £82,000 in fines and penalties. During the same period throughout Great Britain over 3,000 Heavy Goods Operators were penalised and paid over £2m in fines and penalties.