FOLLOWING VOSA's annual Operation Tourist roadside check scheme this summer, 9.6 per cent of UK-registered PCVs checked were given immediate prohibitions for roadworthiness - up from 6.6 per cent last year - and 3.9 per cent given prohibitions for traffic offences.

A total of 391 PCVs were checked for roadworthiness - 384 of which were UK-registered vehicles and 7 from overseas. Of the UK vehicles, 81 prohibitions were issued (37 immediate and 44 delayed)m with brakes and tyres being the most common defects - a 2.8 per cent increase on last year.

In last year's Operation Tourist, 726 PCVs were tested for roadworthiness, of which 48 vehicles (6.6 per cent) received immediate prohibitions.

There were 301 vehicles checked for traffic offences this year - 281 UK vehicles and 20 foreign - of which 11 prohibitions and 65 verbal warnings were issued for drivers’ hours offences. In comparison to 2005, this was a 4.3 per cent decrease overall after 60 prohibitions were given out of 741 PCVs tested in 2005.

In connection with traffic offences ten Rectification Notices and ten Reports for Further Investigation were issued for drivers’ records/hours, and operators’ and drivers’ licence offences.

www.vosa.gov.uk

AN ELDERLEY woman collapsed and later died from deep vein thrombosis after spending more than four hours on a National Express coach in May.

The coach group says that it has appropriate health and safety measures in place in the form of a customer safety card.

Nora Jackson (72), a widow from Surrey, had travelled from Lincoln to London on a National Express coach when she was taken ill. She collapsed as she alighted at Victoria bus station at the end of the four-hour, 20-minute journey - which included one five-minute rest stop - and died a short time later at St Thomas' Hospital, Westminster.

National Express told Coach Tourism Professional that it was not informed about the death until receiving a recent letter from a family relative, and it then launched an internal investigation.

The customer safety card states: "While the problem [DVT] is often associated with air travel, the risk is also reported amongst those travelling by car, train or coach. We strongly advise that all customers take advantage of any breaks to get off the coach and walk around."

National Express health and safety manager Robert Ball says: "It is stongly advised that people being immobile for long periods, but specifically those in high risk groups, take advantage of breaks and do exercises while seated."

Coach Tourism Professional has been contacted directly by another passenger who was hospitalised for treatment of DVT after travelling on the non-stop Cardiff-London service earlier this year.

The passenger said that he was not aware of any warnings or safety cards being issued before or during the journey.

www.nationalexpress.com

THE A NEW tourism delivery structure has been established in north east England, Tourism Network North East, to provide tourism organisations with a simpler, more cost effective range of marketing and development opportunities for the group travel market.

The tourism network comprises One NorthEast Tourism and four Area Tourism Partnerships (ATP), which include Northumberland Tourism, County Durham Tourism, Tees Valley Tourism, and Tourism Tyne and Wear.

The ATPs are new, public-private sector partnerships, each with their own independent Board of directors and chief executive, funded by local authorities - One NorthEast via the sub-regional partnerships, and private industry. They will become the main port of call for advice, guidance and support for all tourism businesses in the region.

Although independent, the five organisations will work extremely closely through the Network Management Group involving the Head of Tourism and Head of Marketing from One NorthEast and the four Chief Executives of the Area Tourism Partnerships.

www.northeastengland.co.uk