Overloaded over hours and over here

The Freight Transport Association has welcomed tonight's BBC One Real Story programme which looks at the poor condition of large numbers of foreign lorries now working in the UK. The BBC's report says that 'Foreign lorry drivers are putting lives at risk by overworking, using vehicles with service faults and overloading their trucks.'

Earlier this year the Freight Transport Association launched its 'Tell us who you are' campaign. FTA says that all foreign lorries entering the UK should register details of ownership, operating base, last safety test, vehicle condition etc, in order to assist UK enforcement authorities in their work.

FTA External Affairs Director Geoff Dossetter says 'The number of foreign vehicles working in the UK is constantly increasing. Now something like one in seven of the heaviest vehicles on UK roads are from overseas. Sadly recent evidence shows that large numbers of them are overweight and having roadworthiness faults. In addition there is a high incidence of foreign drivers driving illegally long hours.

'Many of these vehicles represent a road safety hazard to UK road users. In addition their cost cutting activities mean unfair commercial competition to the UK domestic transport industry.

'UK lorries have a good and improving safety record as a result of a powerful regulatory regime and the enforcement that goes with it. But the increasingly poor record of foreign vehicles is damaging that improved reputation.

'The Freight Transport Association fully supports measures by the police and VOSA – the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency – to improve enforcement targeted against offending foreign lorries and their drivers'