Firstly, apologies if this can already been addressed!

There appears to be an ever increasing amount of VOSA Traffic enforcement vehicles kicking around on our motorways and dual-carriage ways. Lots of people slow down when they see one and many are afraid to overtake one of these vehicles even if they are doing 60mph on a motorway. So my questions are:

1. What power to they actually have?
2. Can they issue tickets of any description?
3. Can they do you for speeding? (not that any one should be speeding - before this opens up another debate!)

Your thoughts & comments please?

Cheers
Martin

 

Tax disc and MOT offences mainly ANPR to check reg.

Also, they can pull vehicles to the side and check complete a vehicle inspection - mainly for commercial vehicles.

They have powers to sieze.

 

You aren't meaning the Traffic Officers are you, who cruise the motorway in Discoveries/Land Cruisers/Shoguns etc and like to think of themselves as Police? I noticed one parked in a Police only parking space on a motorway. I dont slow down for them, keep it nailed at 70..

VOSA tend to pull over lorries/commercials dont they? Or people with tinted windows etc..

 

Oh, just to add - they can't enforce speeding.

 

Do you mean VOSA enforcement or HATO?

They are both different.

VOSA have some powers, more info here:

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/

The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) provides a range of licensing, testing and enforcement services with the aim of improving the roadworthiness standards of vehicles ensuring the compliance of operators and drivers, and supporting the independent Traffic Commissioners.

HATO have no power, info here:

http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/601.aspx

 

Yes, sorry, it is the Traffic Officers who cruise the motorways in Discoveries/Shoguns that I was referring to.

 

Often referred to as Traffic Wombles...

No powers that I am aware of, it appears that they can close roads in case of an incident, a power they seem intent on exercising...

 

...and they get to wear reflective jackets, smugly bumble along in blinged comfy armchaired 'distinctive' painted wagons, wishing they were proper police-type persons. Oh the joy of a uniform and having power over others.

 

They have to have some compensation for a job that pays awful money

 

Traffic Womles

I do enjoy blasting past them, but they always provide a fright until you notice that it's not the rozzers

It's good sport overtaking scamera vans too