27 July 2007
Of the 656 vehicles that passed through a road check held on Mont Millais, between 7.30am and 9am on Wednesday 25 July 2007, 4 vehicles were impounded, 24 drivers were advised regarding minor lighting defects, 14 drivers were dealt with for not displaying valid windscreen insurance discs, 5 drivers were required to amend incorrect registration details, and 16 drivers were issued with defect rectification notices.
Officers from Driver and Vehicle Standards, (DVS), coordinated a multi-agency road check involving Officers from Customs and Immigration; States of Jersey Police and the Honorary Police of St. Saviour.
Four vehicles were impounded: A scaffold lorry with defects including fuel leaks, steering and bodywork, was towed directly from the check and scrapped; a small van with a defective tyre was detained until the tyre was replaced; a small van, with badly corroded bodywork was towed to DVS for further inspection and in all likelihood will be scrapped. A report will be forwarded to the Police for consideration of prosecution. The fourth vehicle, another small van, was impounded by Customs and Immigration for running on red diesel. This is subject to further enquiries by Customs Officers.
Twenty four drivers were advised at the road side regarding minor lighting defects, mostly one brake light not working, 12 drivers were required to produce insurance certificates at St. Saviour’s Parish Hall and 2 to produce insurance at Police Headquarters, 3 drivers were required to amend their vehicle’s registration details, (i.e. address and colour), 2 drivers of foreign registered cars were required to register them locally, and 16 drivers were issued with defect notices requiring them to rectify defects prior to presenting their vehicle at DVS. Defects included: tyres, bodywork and exhaust systems.
Inspector of Motor Traffic, Alan Muir, said: “This was a very busy and productive road check that resulted in all the agencies involved detecting significant offences within their specific areas of responsibility. The lorry had a bad fuel leak that was leaving patches of oil on the road everywhere it travelled, damaging the road surface and leaving potential hazards for other road users, particularly those on two wheels. If it had not been for the road check, in all likelihood, this vehicle would have continued to pose a potential danger to road users and incurred unnecessary cost to tax payers and rate payers.”
“Drivers must realise the responsibility they have to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and compliant with the law, said
Guy de Faye
Minister for Transport and Technical Services. “Although road checks ensure defects and infringements that are detected are corrected, all drivers and owners of vehicles should regularly check their vehicles to ensure they are roadworthy. They owe a duty of care to themselves and other road users. A vehicle was picked out in this check as being only fit for the scrap heap and should not have been on the road.”
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