Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to mandate the netting or sheeting of open (a) pick-up trucks and (b) small lorries to minimise litter on the highways.

When transporting loads, it is the operator’s and driver’s responsibility to make sure the vehicle’s load is secured safely. There is already legislation in place to ensure that vehicle loads are secure and do not cause a danger to other road users, but if a vehicle’s load is found to be unsafe, then the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the police can take enforcement action where appropriate.

The action taken will vary from encounter to encounter but generally will result in the driver receiving a prohibition preventing the continuation of a journey until such time as the load has been satisfactory secured. Where the driver is culpable of the offence, they will receive a fixed penalty (£100) or, in the most serious cases, can be prosecuted for using a dangerous vehicle. The DVSA will also follow up these incidents with the vehicle’s operator to establish the cause of the problem and to ensure that it does not happen again.

Guidance outlining the responsibilities of operators and drivers to ensure loads are secure, and further information about the use of netting and sheeting can be found online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/load-securing-vehicle-operator-guidance/load-securing-vehicle-operator-guidance