Caught this on the local news the other day,police in sheffield are setting up road side emission check,and if its found that your car fail these test it a £60 fine.Now i'm all for cleaner air,who isn't,but this does seem a bit unfair on the drivers who get collared to me.How would you know if your car is slightly over the limit before you leave your garage/drive,and surely this is why cars have M.O.T's,could you sue your M.O.T center for the £60 if your car fails(bit extreme i know).
I know people always say this,but surely theres more important things for the police to be doing than this,just seems like another plan to rake in some easy money to me.

craig

Legal but harsh.

Voluntary testing is available for FREE at the
following ASDA stores:

· ASDA Barnsley, Old Mill Lane
Friday 8th August and Sunday 31st August

· ASDA Doncaster, Dome Leisure Park, Bawtry Road
Saturday 9th August and Thursday 28th August

· ASDA Rotherham, Aldwarke Lane, Off Doncaster Road
Friday 15th August and Saturday 30th August

· ASDA Sheffield, Handsworth Road
Sunday 10th August and Friday 29th August


These free testing sessions are open to anyone and
will run on the above dates in the car parks of the
ASDA stores between 9am - 4pm.

If your vehicle fails a voluntary test you will NOT be fined.
SYVET would like to thank ASDA for their backing and
support of this campaign.

SYVET have also teamed up with 'Smart Cars of Sheffield'
for your chance to WIN A SMART CAR at these voluntary
testing sessions.

Formal Roadside Testing will be
carried out in the following locations:

Barnsley - Tuesday 12th August
Doncaster - Wednesday 13th August
Sheffield - Thursday 14th August

Doncaster - Tuesday 19th August
Barnsley - Wednesday 20th August
Rotherham - Thursday 21st August

Barnsley - Tuesday 2nd September
Rotherham - Wednesday 3rd September
Doncaster - Thursday 4th September

Doncaster - Tuesday 9th September
Sheffield - Wednesday 10th September
Rotherham - Thursday 11th September

Barnsley - Tuesday 16th September
Rotherham - Wednesday 17th September
Sheffield - Thursday 18th September

Doncaster - Tuesday 23rd September
Sheffield - Wednesday 24th September
Barnsley - Thursday 25th September

I never understand what people mean when they ask whether the police haven't anything better to do with their time. Vehicular accidents are responsbile for 10 deaths a day on British roads and I'm not sure how many other deaths are directly attributable to poor air quality.

So no, catching a few burglars for pinching video players and TV sets is not, in my mind, a better use of police time than preventing death.

i thought there were different units within the police - isnt there? surely theres a gang of them who deal with murders and such and a gang who deal with 'less important' stuff like transport.

Causing a smoke nuisance, applies to motor cars the same as a smokey chimney in a house, especially now we have a clean air policy. If they let drivers off, then where would we be with the clean air?. I know, it seems harsh but we have to draw the line somewhere.

I agree that air should be clean but what is the point of this fine when you had a pass on your M.O.T. say 2 months ago? For all I know the M.O.T. place is dodgy and skipped the test and put pass on the emissions. Quick buck for doing nothing does go on. Should the responsibility lie with the driver of the car or the garage where the M.O.T. was done at?

This is what is harsh about this.

I much prefer that cars must go to an emission centre on a six monthly basis for free tests and if found to be faulty, you have a week to get it fixed. This is better because choosing random cars is only going to catch a handful which doesn't solve the problem.

A cars exhaust can fail at any time. If it started leaking just a couple of weeks after the MOT - as mine has done due to the exhaust getting knocked on a steep speed ramp - then you risk driving for almost a year without knowing. Depending on your mileage, it could be anything upto 50,000 and more.