MAINTENANCE standards of cars, taxis and light vans have been described as 'worrying' by Transport and Environment Minister Lord Whitty following a random survey. The Vehicle Inspectorate checked 3,304 cars and taxis and 2,085 vans and found that 12.4% of cars and taxis and 17.5% of vans surveyed failed to meet minimum standards of roadworthiness.

In addition 7.4% of cars and taxis and 9.2% of vans had defects which were sufficiently serious to be taken off the road immediately. The drivers of the remainder were ordered to have defects rectified within 10 days. The survey also found that 4.2% of cars and taxis and 2.9% of light vans were producing illegal levels of emissions.

Lord Whitty said: 'The results of this survey are worrying because they reveal a large number of unroadworthy vehicles on our roads. These jeopardise the safety of all road users and, in some cases, they are unnecessarily polluting.

'Although we know most accidents are caused by driver error, it is inevitable that some accidents are caused by defects and that some are made worse than they would otherwise be, simply because the motorist has failed to maintain the vehicle properly.'