The destruction of £150,000 worth of stretched limousines on safety grounds as been condemned as a ‘useless exercise’ and a ‘waste of tax payers’ money’.
The vehicles, a Hummer H2, Range Rover Vogue and Porsche Cayenne limousines, were destroyed by VOSA (the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) in an attempt to send a safety warning to the industry.
But industry website TheChauffeur.com has condemned the actions by the Government agency as a ‘useless exercise’ and a waste of tax payers’ money.
The limousines were confiscated by VOSA from an apparent illegal operator and were this week destroyed by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service using powerful cutting equipment.
Commenting on the actions, Paul Gibson, editor of TheChauffeur.com, said: “Although we agree with the confiscation of the limousines and getting illegal operators off the road, destroying them is a step too far when so many other steps could have been taken to raise awareness of illegal vehicles.”
“The original aim of the exercise was to highlight the ‘dangers of illegal limousines’, but VOSA, in my opinion, has failed to get this message across by destroying them. Other parts of Europe could have operated these vehicles safely and totally within their laws and the sale of them could have raised a large amount of money to perhaps put back into educating the limousine industry on the laws.”
Legislation officer for the National Limousine and Chauffeur Association, Bill Bowling, added; “This is yet another character assassination attempt on limousines by VOSA. If you look at the figures, limousine travel is safer than any other form of road transport in the number of people carried per accident; taxis and private hire vehicles are way in front of limousines but, as per usual, we are the target.”
Leave A Comment