MORE than 100 vehicles have been taken off the roads in Gwent and across South Wales as part of an operation targeting ‘rogue traders.’

In October, Gwent Police and South Wales Police took part in the operation alongside the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Natural Resources Wales and Trading Standards.

The teams targeted vans and light goods vehicles used for commercial purposes. As a result, 110 vehicles were immediately removed from the road across the sites after the DVSA found they had dangerous defects.

A further 71 vehicles were also issued ‘delayed prohibitions’, meaning, unlike the ones that were removed from the road immediately, the driver is able to drive it away and is given 10 days to fix the issues.

The most common defects were overloading and tyre issues, which would put the driver and the public at risk due to compromising vehicle performance, stopping distances and steering capability.

A vehicle checked in Swansea was found to have 25 defects, including issues with the steering, significant amounts of corrosion, damaged tyres which were deflated and had illegal tread depth, loose tools and equipment that could interfere with controls in the cab, broken indicators and an expired MOT.

The driver was reported by South Wales Police for dangerous use.

DVSA’s head of regulatory services and transformation, Caroline Hicks, said: “DVSA’s priority is to protect people from unsafe drivers and vehicles, which includes taking dangerous traders off the road.

“This action alongside our partners serves as a reminder of the risks associated with cutting corners on road safety. Every driver or operator has a responsibility to check their vehicle is in a roadworthy condition before beginning a journey.

“DVSA is here to support those operators and drivers who do comply and are safe on our roads. We want to ensure they are not disadvantages by dangerous and reckless road use.

“We endeavour to support drivers and operators to remain safe, which is why we have produced guidance accessible on Gov.uk to empower commercial road users to make Welsh roads safe for everybody.”

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Alongside this crackdown, police forces provided advice and guidance in communities in relation to how to stay safe from exploitative doorstep trading.

Sergeant Lee Stachow of Gwent Police said: “Doorstep crime can have a huge impact on victims, so it’s vital we prevent, disrupt and enforce against rogue traders – this has been our goal throughout the week.

“Our message to rogue traders is a simple one: whether you’re using vehicles that aren’t fit for the road or exploiting vulnerable customers by charging for unnecessary work, we will continue to work with partners to protect the public, find you and bring you to justice.”

A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: “Rogue traders use unscrupulous tactics and target residents, particularly the elderly or vulnerable, and deliberately overcharge for unsatisfactory services.

“Working with agencies during these operations helps us all to reduce the risk, threat and harm from serious and organised crime. Operation Rogue Trader has involved months of collaborative hard work by all those involved, who are dedicated to disrupting and dismantling criminal enterprises.

“People are urged to look out for elderly and vulnerable neighbours and relatives. Anybody who suspects rogue trading should contact 101 immediately, or 999 in an emergency.”