Road-side checks for lorry emission-cheating begins

Examiners from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will now be routinely checking lorries they stop at the roadside for emissions cheat devices.

The national rollout of checks follows a successful year-long pilot. During the pilot, DVSA enforcement staff caught 449 emission cheats at five sites across the country.

Drivers caught with an emissions cheat device or a faulty emissions control system have 10 days to remove the device and repair their emissions system.

If they continue to use a device or fail to repair the system, they can be fined £300 and have their vehicle taken off the road.

DVSA will then carry out a follow-up investigation with the operator. DVSA can refer its findings to the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain, who have the power to strip a company of its licence to operate.

Cheat devices mean a lorry can produce up to 20 times more dangerous emissions.

This new checking procedure commenced on 1 September 2018.