Light Goods Vehicles, often known as ‘white van man’, are involved in twice as many accidents as HGVs and have an MOT failure rate of 50%. Furthermore, in VOSA checks, light goods vehicles are prohibited six out of ten times, and when weighed, these vehicles are overweight three quarters of the time.

These results not only demonstrate a threat to the safety of road users, but also an unfair advantage over white van man’s HGV counterparts. That low compliance rate is even worse considering that HGVs are subjected to a significantly higher level of regulation than light goods vehicles.

During 2013, VOSA are conducting a targeted programme to address this situation and raise the standards of the LGV industry. The majority who try to be compliant will be offered education and advice to enable them to achieve their goal of operating safe and compliant vehicles. A mixed tactical approach will be used to address the operator who is ignorant of the requirements. They will be subject to enforcement action at compliance checks, married to the carrot of educational assistance to enable them to raise their standards. The minority who have no desire to comply will be subject to enforcement action in an effort to force compliance.

The first steps in this initiative will be a programme of checks in twenty cities throughout the year to raise VOSA’s profile with LGV operators in specific market sectors, and the first of these will be directed towards the building trade. This will be allied to cooperation with trade bodies and associations to convey the message that VOSA are determined to raise the standards of the LGV fleet through joint working, education, assistance, and if required, enforcement action.