The government has criticised the number of foreign vehicles on UK roads, questioning their safety records.

The House of Commons Transport Select Committee released its report on the work of the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency (VOSA), criticising unsafe overseas-registered trucks operated by over-tired drivers.

MPs voiced fears that policy body VOSA has been hindered by red tape in its efforts to improve safety and that lorries from overseas are more likely to be unroadworthy or overloaded than UK vehicles.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has backed the report, saying that unsafe, overseas-registered trucks operated by over-tired drivers give the whole logistics sector a bad name.

Jo Tanner, director of communications at the FTA, welcomed the government’s decision to crack down on overseas vehicles on UK roads.

She said: “Seeing obviously unsafe overseas trucks being driven erratically by over-tired drivers is enough to give the logistics sector a bad name, despite the fact that the UK fleet is recognised as the safest in Europe. This does the 2.3 million people that work in the logistics sector a great disservice.

“The safety of our roads has to be the number-one priority and our continuing concern is that safety standards are being ridden roughshod over by rogue operators from overseas. While UK operators by and large operate what is considered to be the gold standard in terms of compliance with safety regulations, operators coming across from the continent, particularly those from eastern Europe, often fall well short.”

The FTA concurred with the Select Committee’s findings that solving the problem was not solely about injecting more cash into VOSA. It said shared information and a commitment to collaboration between all the government agencies in this area, as well as their opposite numbers overseas, are key.

Tanner said: “VOSA’s detection rates are good, but how are these vehicles able to make it so far from their home nation unchallenged? The Select Committee is absolutely right in encouraging greater collaboration and information-sharing between agencies, not only on this side of the Channel, but on the continent too.

“As well as the obvious safety concerns, over-loaded, poorly maintained vehicles also have a huge impact on UK roads. With overseas operators filling their tanks on the continent, they contribute little or nothing to Treasury coffers. As a result, it is the British taxpayer that has to pick up the bill for the damage these overseas trucks cause.”