VOSA Vans

Wig

Or cars or people carriers with VOSA written on them.

I'm wondering what they do?

Saw one today sitting at the side of the road watching traffic. EDIT: It was like a Vauxhall Frontera.

Looked on google for "VOSA vans"
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=VOSA+vans&aq=f&aqi=g-v1&aql=&oq=

4 threads found (at the top of the google results) mostly people who don't know what they are doing

Honest John thread - useless
Yahooo thread - almost useless
Pepipoo thread useless
safespeed thread - kind of useful

From what I gather they can stop you if they want to.
They can issue fixed penalties but only to commercial vehicles/transport industry?
They are only looking out for trucks etc with no MOT or other obvious problems.

Does anyone know exactly what their role is and what they are looking for?

Are they interested in cars without MOT?
If they spot a dodgy lorry will they follow him/stop him/issue ticket
If they spot a car without MOT or otherwise dodgy will they follow him stop him
Will they issue tickets to the above by post
Will they send warning letters to the above
Will they report to police anyone they see but don't go after/stop ?

Please note the following is a totally separate from the VOSA discussion and he is nowhere near any VOSA van.
I also regularly see a police car tucked in a woody lane farmers field entrance completly hidden by trees from the main road he is always facing into the lane and has blacked out estate car rear windows with a camera sign on it
The lane entrance is on a roundabout you only see him when you are actually on the roundabout.
My theory on this guy is that he can't be after speeders because the trees block our view of him but also his view of us so he can't tell. But maybe he is ANPRing the traffic going round the roundabout, but because he would have to reverse out I don't think he is going to 'go after' anyone he sees, so what's the point?

1jim

I think these use ANPR and scan all traffic and check mot/insured etc, they dont follow or check safety, I think if you had no mot or if you had declared sorn you would just get a fine through the post
A lot of these cars/vans put up signs near them to let you know what they are doing, I see them around Nottingham a fair bit

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Ignore...I was thinking about the dvla vans/cars

KillerWatt

They check motor vehicles for roadworthiness, as well as being legal where the paperwork is concerned.

The police car is parked further up in case you decide you don't want to stop for a VOSA officer when requested to do so.

vikingaero

The clue is in the name - Vehicle & Operators Services Agency. They mainly stop commercial vehicles for tacho infringements, dangerous loads, and vehicle defects. They will act on cars for example with excessive tints on front windows. The Police only have a few officers who are trained to issue immediate stop notices on vehicles. The majority of VOSA officers are trained in this manner and nearly all of them can issue notices to prevent vehicles being used.

Their other work is MOT based.

optimus_primera

Vosa are gradually taking over a lot of duties from plod .....although they mainly concern themselves with commercial vehicles.

Strider590

If you have a car declared SORN, expect one of these to pass by your street every couple of weeks.

Wig

Strider590 wrote: »

If you have a car declared SORN, expect one of these to pass by your street every couple of weeks.

Don't you mean DVLA vans?

mcjordi

dvla vans are for tax
vosa dealing with mot etc

police- insurance.

Strider590

No, it's these guys.... They do ANPR, upload the data and share it with the DVLA. My neighbour got into trouble for having her SORNed car on the road whilst cleaning out her garage (it was 2 wheels out of the garage, it even had 2 flat tyre's!!), unluckily for her one of these drove into the cul-de-sac and 2 weeks later she's got a £250 fine from the DVLA. Lesson? cover up the plate next time.....

mcjordi

ahh right so they are acting like a "witness" for the dvla then.
ive nver seen a vosa car/van round the houses tho normally in a lay by near weigh bridges..

seen a dvla van many a time..

Paradigm

Strider590 wrote: »

No, it's these guys.... They do ANPR, upload the data and share it with the DVLA. My neighbour got into trouble for having her SORNed car on the road whilst cleaning out her garage (it was 2 wheels out of the garage, it even had 2 flat tyre's!!), unluckily for her one of these drove into the cul-de-sac and 2 weeks later she's got a £250 fine from the DVLA. Lesson? cover up the plate next time.....

That's not VOSA! They don't drive up cul de sacs looking for un-taxed cars!

Generally they patrol motorways &/or Dual carriageways & generally target commercial vehicles, although they have the same power to stop as the police by pulling in front of you & lighting a "follow me" sign.