Over half of LGV operators have a grey Vosa operator compliance risk score (OCRS) for traffic enforcement – meaning that Vosa has insufficient data to award them a red, amber or green score.
The grey band was introduced in October last year to replace the system of giving operators with whom Vosa has had no contact the average OCRS for their type of operation.
Earlier this year, senior traffic commissioner Beverley Bell slammed Vosa for failing to target the “serially and seriously non-compliant”.
OCRS is intended to assist in the targeting of non-compliant operators but Vosa told MT there are 13,000 (16%) operators in the grey roadworthiness band and 49,600 (59%) in the grey traffic enforcement band.
Because most vehicles are operated by larger fleets, there are 8,800 vehicles (3% of the UK fleet) in the roadworthiness grey band and 91,300 vehicles (26%) in the grey traffic enforcement band.
A Vosa spokesman said: “Vosa is currently looking to see how it can obtain additional sources of information that would help to reduce the numbers of operators in the grey band, particularly in the traffic enforcement band for operators.”
FTA policy director James Hookham said: “There is the full spectrum of compliance out there and Vosa should also be looking at other data such as the results of annual tests and drivers’ hours compliance checks.”
