asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether they have proposals to update road traffic regulations in view of the increasing number of overseas lorry drivers on United Kingdom roads.

My Lords, traffic regulations must apply equally to all road users, regardless of nationality. The onus is on individuals to familiarise themselves with the law of the state in which they are driving. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency will be provided with an extra £24 million over three years to enforce the rules on roadworthiness and driver hours. This will fund 97 additional examiners, a rollout of 24/7 work, more sites and an additional 30,000 checks per annum.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer and I am glad that there is to be increased investment. I live on the A55 in north Wales, and each day around four foreign drivers are arrested for breaching regulations. The situation has been described as a catastrophe waiting to happen. When will the UK road traffic Acts be applicable to foreign-registered vehicles?

My Lords, as I made clear, they already are applicable. Perhaps the noble Lord will be pleased to learn that part of the £24 million funding that I described means that there will be two additional checking sites, one on the M6 and, more particularly, one in north Wales.

My Lords, while welcoming my noble friend’s statement about law enforcement, two sites for the whole of the UK is hardly going to solve the problem. Does he not agree that at the moment action against foreign lorries is effectively not being enforced in respect of speed cameras, vehicle weight, driver hours or mechanical problems? Surely a much more comprehensive and nationwide enforcement policy is needed to ensure that these vehicles and their drivers obey the law in all respects?

My Lords, we do have enforcement and, as I have described, we are putting a great deal more resource into that. I do not think that my noble friend should be distracted by two additional sites I referred to. We are taking powers in the Local Transport Bill to enable us to enforce more rigorously action against foreign drivers. I just hope that noble Lords will support that, and certainly the statistics indicate that we are being vigorous in our efforts.

My Lords, some 12,000 foreign lorries are on our roads every day, and of the 30,000 lorries that were tested a couple of years ago, around 12,000 were found to be defective in some way. The Government have said that they might introduce a system of fixed penalties, but we have not heard any more about it. Surely something needs to be done to protect our own haulage industry.

My Lords, we are indeed introducing fixed penalties. However, it would help greatly if the party opposite were to support the Local Transport Bill in another place; as I understand it, there appears to be strong opposition to it. An important part of that legislation will aid us in our enforcement work.

My Lords, while we are on the subject of the foreign drivers of heavy vehicles, one of the problems at the moment is the prolific use of satnav systems by these drivers, who often get stuck in inappropriate places. Because they do not have English, they cannot get unstuck. Does the noble Lord agree that a solution might be for his department to erect easily identifiable signs making it clear that such and such a route is unsuitable for certain types of heavy vehicle?

My Lords, it is interesting that the noble Viscount raises this issue. I am not unfamiliar with it. The department has recently designed a new sign to advise large and heavy vehicles not to take unsuitable routes. The issue of satnavs relates to that. The new design uses a truck pictogram with a red diagonal line through it to indicate “not for heavy goods vehicles”. I think that it is clear enough.

My Lords, what further thought has been given to the European proposal for better cross-border enforcement? Also, has any thought been given to a bonding system that would apply to foreign vehicles, whether lorries or cars, arriving in this country?

My Lords, I suppose there is some joy here for Eurosceptics and Europhobes alike. EC Council directive—2006/126/EC—will be implemented next year. This will greatly assist enforcement. I think there should be some joy in that.

My Lords, I wonder whether the Minister read the Daily Telegraph yesterday. I doubt that he did. There was a very good letter from the Freight Transport Association, saying that the proposals from Europe are that we should allow foreign lorries not just to go backwards and forwards, but to do business here. Does the Minister have any proposals to extend cabotage? Also, will he do it before he implements the arrangements for foreign lorries to pay for the use of British roads, which they do not?

My Lords, discussions on cabotage are going on. I know that this is an area of concern and controversy. As I understand it, a consultation is being conducted and discussions and negotiations are continuing in Brussels. No doubt the noble Lord will make known his views on them. I shall certainly ensure that they are.

My Lords, my noble friend will not be aware that I wrote a letter to the then Secretary of State about nine years ago, drawing attention to foreign vehicles on our roads. The Minister replied by saying, “I am not aware that there is a problem”. This problem has now increased dramatically. I am pleased to hear that there will be more VOSA inspectors. Can my noble friend advise the House how many will be available throughout the country when the additional ones are in post?

My Lords, I gave statistics at the outset. I will repeat some of them. There will be two new enforcement sites, in addition to the current ones, in high-volume areas. There will be a 50 per cent increase in the number of HGV checks. There will be a doubling of prohibitions. There will be 97 additional enforcement staff and this will guarantee a 24/7 service. That is a pretty good record.

My Lords, I confess that I am not familiar with the 2006 EU directive. However, my understanding from working with Transport for London is that there is a problem with enforcement—first, in getting information about foreign drivers and, secondly, in enforcing traffic and parking penalties, because the offences are neither civil nor criminal. There are administrative penalties for both of those in the EU. What are the Government doing to advance the enforcement of parking and traffic fines on other European drivers?

My Lords, the noble Baroness, because of her experience, knows much more about this than I do. I accept that there is an issue here. We are trying to work with our colleagues in the EU to ensure that we bring people to book. We recognise the importance of these things. Fixed penalty payments are an issue. We need to ensure that we can enforce criminal penalties. Of course, when a crime has been committed, the driver is taken out of circulation immediately. However, there is more to be done, and it requires a high level of European co-operation.