Information Sharing across Europe Vital to Prevent Motorists Flouting Traffic LawsItem Added 05 February 2007Plans to introduce a European road user charging system could be undermined unless traffic enforcement agencies are able to share information on drivers flouting parking and other regulations between European countries, say the SPARKS Programme.
SPARKS fears that there is a real risk the European Commission is set to ignore problems that may arise around enforcing the planned European Electronic Tolling Service (EETS).
SPARKS believes that as well as ensuring the technology is in place to allow the scheme to be introduced across Europe, the EU also needs a robust cross-border data sharing regime and a legal basis to combat non-payment, for EETS to function effectively.
The SPARKS Programme highlighted these concerns in its recent submission to the Department for Transport consultation on proposed legislation to bring into UK law the Commission’s rules on interoperability of tolling systems.
The submission raised key issues that need to be resolved early in discussions:
- The data EETS will need to centrally bill users across the EU
- How data will be collected, stored and shared
- Who will have rights of access to the data
- Whether EETS will be enforced under administrative or civil law
- Whether any enforcement regime will be properly under public control.
Nick Lester, chair of the SPARKS Steering Group said: “Exciting advances in technology have made it possible to link Europe’s national road toll systems. We need similar advances in legislation to enable sharing of vehicle data and enforcement through overseas jurisdictions.
“The move to create a Europe-wide system for road tolling presents the EU with an ideal opportunity to take strategic decisions about sharing registration data across national borders and creating a cross-border enforcement regime. We hope the UK government is able to make the case for resolving these issues as part of the EETS debate.”
The SPARKS Programme is seeking a meeting with the EETS team at the Department of Transport to further spell out the concerns of members. |
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Facts & Figures- 330,000 penalty charge notices worth £12.9 million are issued to foreign-registered vehicles in London each year for parking and other contraventions
- 1 in 8 foreign registered vehicle owners fails to pay their congestion charge
- A third of persistent evaders (three or more PCN’s) are foreign-registered vehicles
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