FRV research launched in House of CommonsItem Added 01 September 2007MPs and peers are more aware of FRV activity in the UK and enforcement difficulties local authorities face following SPARKS inaugural parliamentary reception.
SPARKS Programme members were pleased to see the House of Commons dining room thronged with people from across the political parties and transport industry at its reception to launch pioneering research into the scale of foreign vehicle activity in the United Kingdom.
Almost 80 people, including seven MPs and three peers, attended the reception, along with representatives from a dozen local authorities, the DVLA, Metropolitan Police, British Parking Association, Freight Transport Association, the AA, RAC and Federation of Small Business.
They were presented with highlights from the first comprehensive research into foreign registered vehicle activity in the UK and an update on the Eurosparks legal research project that is seeking to improve enforcement legislation at EU level.
Guests were welcomed by John Leech, MP for Manchester Withington and member of the Liberal Democrat shadow transport team and Transport Select Committee, who hosted the reception.
He was followed by SPARKS Programme chair Nick Lester who summarised key points from the recent study and gave an update on progress in the Eurosparks legal research project. European Parking Collection plc managing director Paul Assarsson then explained how his company has developed agreements with some member states to access vehicle registers. EPC sponsored the reception.
“Local authorities do have some success pursuing FRV offenders in their own country through EPC,” said SPARKS Programme manager Bill Blakemore. “We believe they would be even more successful if the government played its part in helping authorities to trace owners of vehicles, by giving DVLA power to handle vehicle data from foreign licensing agencies.
“Many of the people I spoke to were very interested in the research and believe law and practice in the UK must be changed so local authorities can enforce traffic laws equally against UK and foreign vehicle drivers.”
The SPARKS Programme is calling for this power to be added to the Local Transport Bill, giving local authorities the capability to identify foreign vehicles and their drivers.
FRV Activity Report highlights |
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Facts & Figures- Over 3 million foreign registered vehicles (FRVs)enter the UK each year
- At any one time 142,000 FRVs are in the UK - 90% are cars, 8% are HGVs, 1% are coaches
- At any one time 3% of all vehicles driving on London's roads are FRVs; 47% are cars, 43% are HGVs, 7% are coaches
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