Foreign haulage firms that frequently break rules on driver hours, road worthiness and load should be named and shamed, according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

The FTA wants the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to publish a list of repeat offenders.

It argues that such a move would encourage firms to clean up their acts and provide useful information for British companies employing foreign hauliers.

"Lower fuel costs and slack maintenance standards mean that foreign lorries constitute unfair competition to the UK transport industry," said Geoff Dossetter, the FTA's director of external affairs.

"But, more importantly, they present a serious road safety problem."

The FTA has bemoaned the government's failure to introduce charges for foreign hauliers using British roads and roadside fines for those breeching regulations.

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