DVSA rolls out emissions enforcement nationwide

By Categories: NewsPublished On: Thursday 20 September 2018

The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has ramped up its efforts to curb the use by truck operators of emissions cheat devices, with a nationwide rollout of raodside checks.

As of the beginning of September, DVSA enforcement officers across Great Britain are inspecting lorries for AdBlue emulator devices, following a successful pilot last year which resulted in 449 emission cheats being identified at five sites across the country.

The devices, which the agency warns can mean a lorry is producing up to 20 times more dangerous emissions, are used to allow vehicles to run without AdBlue, which breaks harmful emissions down into harmless oxygen and nitrogen.

Drivers who are found to be using an emissions cheat device or have a faulty emissions control system will be given 10 days to remove the device and repair the system. If they fail in either of these tasks, they may face £300 fixed penalty fines and have their vehicles prohibited.

DVSA would then investigate with the operator, and could refer its findings to the traffic commissioners – who could in turn strip operators of their licences.

DVSA chief executive Gareth Llewellyn said: “DVSA’s priority is to protect everyone from unsafe vehicles and drivers.

“A vehicle doesn’t have to be falling apart to be unsafe. Any driver or operator who uses cheat devices to get around emissions rules is putting the health of the entire nation at risk.

“DVSA will take the strongest possible action against anyone who tries to cheat emissions rules.”