Keeping the borough's roads safe
From Councillor Mrs Diana Holl-Allen, Cabinet member for Safer Communities on 07 August 2012
A total of 67 vehicles were stopped and inspected in a Multi-Agency Vehicle checks exercise at the NEC on Monday 30 July.
The aim of the operation was to tackle illegal activities and criminality on the borough’s road network, as well as to improve vehicle and driver safety.
The second this year, the exercise involved approximately 32 officers from various agencies including Solihull Council, West Midlands Police, Customs & Excise and the Department of Work and Pensions.
The vehicles that were inspected mainly consisted of taxis, light commercials, PSVs, vans and cars. Out of a total of seventeen taxis inspected, most were found to be in a satisfactory condition.
Two vehicles were seized for not having adequate insurance while another was seized for not having a valid driving license. A further two vehicles were seized after it was discovered that one was being driven by a disqualified driver, while another driver had replaced an out-of-date road tax disc with one from another vehicle.
Customs & Excise officers found that one vehicle had ‘red diesel’ in its petrol tank. The driver claimed to have purchased the vehicle recently with the fuel already in it. Further investigations will be carried out.
After initially being thought to be overloaded, Trading Standards were unable to find the manufacturer’s plate on one vehicle, which gives information about weight carrying capacity. When the VIN and Chassis numbers of the vehicle did not match, the vehicle was seized on suspicion of being a ‘ringer’, a stolen car which has had its identity switched.
Two people were arrested by the Border Agency for being in the UK illegally. Both were from Afghanistan and now face deportation for entering the country illegally. Three individuals will be investigated by the Department of Work and Pensions for possible benefit fraud.
Councillor Holl-Allen, Cabinet member for Safer Communities, said of the day,
“This is a great example of all our various partners working together and sharing skills and expertise to make sure that roads in the borough, and in the wider West Midlands region, are safe to travel on. The checks are a very worthwhile exercise as they allow for the removal of vehicles and drivers from the road who are potentially a danger to themselves and others.”
For enquiries from members of the press and media only, please contact Alex Hemming on 0121 704 6136
Email: alex.hemming@solihull.gov.uk