Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) powers and (b) resources of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to enforce compliance with Construction and Use Regulations relating to (i) trailers lengths and (ii) abnormal load configurations.

The Department for Transport, through the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), collects data on non-compliant vehicles, trailers and load configurations through roadside inspections and targeted enforcement activity. This includes offences and defects relating to roadworthiness, vehicle dimensions, weight limits, load security and compliance with the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. Information on enforcement action, including prohibitions, fixed penalties and prosecutions, is also recorded.

DVSA has powers under road traffic legislation to stop, inspect, weigh and prohibit non-compliant vehicles. DVSA conducts enforcement activities using a targeted enforcement approach, using Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology and intelligence and data insights, to focus resources on the operators and vehicles posing the greatest risk to road safety. DVSA officers are trained and accredited to exercise these powers, and enforcement policies and operational guidance are kept under review to ensure they remain effective and proportionate.

In 2025-26, DVSA detected 28,837 serious roadworthiness defects and traffic offences through its enforcement activity, demonstrating the continued effectiveness of its targeted approach to improving compliance and road safety.