Share
Jason Ford
News Editor
The Engineer
Tackling cable theft, and a nuclear update
Tomorrow marks the introduction of a Bill to Parliament that aims to eradicate a crime that causes severe disruption to rail travellers and sometimes kills its perpetrators.
The crime in question is cable theft and tomorrow a Metal Theft Prevention Bill will be introduced in the House of Commons tomorrow that seeks reform the 1964 Scrap Metal Dealers Act.
It expects to eradicate the market for stolen metal, which has had a significant impact on energy networks and rail networks.
An report by Deloitte has shown metal theft has cost the energy networks £60m and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) estimates metal theft has cost the UK £1bn with between 7,000 and 10,000 incidents each year.
Similarly, HM Revenue and Customs have estimated the lost revenue from the industry is £5.6bn.
The Bill, to be introduced by Hyndburn MP Graham Jones, will provide for a robust licensing regime with requirements on dealers to establish the origin of materials, greater police and Magistrate powers to close and prevent the re-opening of scrap metal dealers who do not conform to licence conditions and a cashless system for payments with requirement for proof of identity of seller and receiver.’
David Smith, chief executive of the Energy Networks Association said: ‘This hugely dangerous crime has already caused six fatalities and over 50 serious injuries in the last 12 months.’
Still in London and news that the Nuclear New Build Forum takes place this Thursday that aims to provide a strategic update on the latest developments and lessons learnt in new nuclear.
According to the organizers the one day event will provide a market update for generators, regulators, reactor vendors, engineers and nuclear specialists.
UK consortia comprising EDF Energy, Horizon Nuclear Power, and NuGeneration will provide insight into their plans and continued commitment to new nuclear; whilst regulators will discuss developments in safety standards, the lessons learnt from Fukushima and the progress of the HSE’s Generic Design Assessment (GDA). Vendors will outline supply chain and project management challenges involved in new build.
Finally, with the input of industry commentators, the conference will examine the outlook for nuclear financing, and the economics of nuclear following changes such as Electricity Market Reform.
Last Tuesday NuGen announced that it had received planning permission for preliminary site investigation and characterisation works for a new nuclear power plant in West Cumbria.
Copeland Borough Council approved a preliminary phase of temporary site investigation and characterisation works on the land NuGen has an option to purchase for a planned 3.6GW generating station.
From energy to automotive and news that the LowCVP Low Carbon Champions Awards gala reception and seminar takes place today.
Awards will celebrate outstanding and innovative practice in developing and encouraging the use of lower carbon vehicles and fuels and reducing road emissions
Awards up for grabs include Low Carbon Car / Van Manufacturer of the Year, which organizers say will go to the company that has done the most to develop or supply the market for lower carbon cars or components that significantly improve vehicle efficiency or reduce carbon emissions.
Judging criteria will have included evidence of quantified CO2 emissions reductions, including any independent verification, and the degree of innovation and risk in bringing forward the vehicle or technology, including the extent to which it is market leading.
Finally, The Royal Academy of Engineering will tomorrow host a one-day conference that will address the key challenges and solutions of introducing new technologies to the NHS.
Chaired by Dr Geoff Watts FMedSci, the conference will address the topic of innovation from the perspective of the clinician, manager, supplier, researcher and regulator.
Topics for discussion include ‘The ageing population: can engineering support healthcare in later life?’ and ‘The returns on innovation: what the NHS needs.’
View results 10 per page | 20 per page
Readers' comments (19)
Clinka | 14 Nov 2011 12:49 pm
New reforms will change nothing. Scrap metal dealers already know detail for receiving and disposing of scrap cable and there are already suitable measures in place. The unscrupolous will continue at risk of being closed down which will continue to provide the means of disposure.
Dealers are hardly likely to spend significant period in jail, when more serious crimes are not punished with heavier sentences.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
brian M | 14 Nov 2011 1:26 pm
Perhaps the Wild west had it right it wasn't the value you stole but the possible consequences of your action - hence horse stealing was a hanging offence!
Not suggesting hanging(!) - but the crime of stealing or handling metal should equate closer to armed robbery than dropping litter.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
John Yeatman | 14 Nov 2011 2:07 pm
Perhaps there should be a new offence of 'Theft with deadly consequences'. So if you knowingly steal signalling cable, it should be treated far more seriously.
The problem will be only solved by clamping down on the dealers. The new rules seem sensible, but only if they are properly enforced.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Brian S | 14 Nov 2011 2:11 pm
About time. Should be able to close any metal dealer down on the spot if found with stolen items including road drainage covers, major issue for bikers and driversl
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Ian Howitt | 14 Nov 2011 2:16 pm
Yet another law when we already have laws for theft and recieving stolen property. Why cant we use the existing laws and increase the lilelyhodd of being caught and the penalties. What is wrong with 5 years for a first offence and hanging for a second one?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Tim Perry | 14 Nov 2011 2:31 pm
Won't the thieves just melt the stolen materials down before they sell it on? I gather this is what happens to roofing lead, bronze memorial plaques and statues and so on. Perhaps we should be licencing the sale of gas and charcoal as well....
Tim Perry
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Davey of Cornwall | 14 Nov 2011 2:35 pm
A police officer told me that scrapyards are controlled by councils and the Environment Agency. He said that police can only enter if they have a warrant signed by a magistrate. No wonder the metal thieves are sticking two fingers up to society. Is it not time that all these "Criminals Rights" as I call them, were done away with? Soft on crime, soft on the causes of crime I'd say.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Graham Field | 14 Nov 2011 2:45 pm
Unless you control the export of metals, the stolen metals will simply be exported and sold to scrap merchants overseas (China springs to mind!).
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Trevor Neil Taylor | 14 Nov 2011 2:54 pm
Might I suggest that we give all scrap metal dealers the powers of a police officer,to whom you must state your name and address, date and place of birth to by law, without these powers some of the old ladies that have saved up their milk bottle tops may well try to give information to the dealers that the dealer is unable to verify besides, we do have such a thing as data protection in the u.k.
Contuary to the reports that I see in the press not every scrap metal dealers are "Bent" I have known more than a couple of them that try very hard to stay on the right side of the law, but in dealing with the public at large you can ask the relevant questions but you can only take the answers they give you, you cant go and Beat the truth out of the dear old lady with a rubber or lead pipe so, policy makers for a change Think before you act because if you don't all the scrap metals will start to go back to Japan or in todays day and age the same way of our warships Turkey or Parkistan.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Trevor Best | 14 Nov 2011 3:47 pm
Oh dear! here we go again. A few politicians will express outrage at metal thefts so they can curry favour with the electorate and vote to impose a ridiculously low penalty for first offenders so they may be "warned off" this slippery slope to even more penalties if they carry on erring and the whole exercise will be a waste of time.
Can we hope that they will debate this subject on the basis of, "Is the crime putting people at risk of death from their actions". If so then make the penalty fir the crime and lock them away for a very long time as they have proven by their actions to be of a danger to society. As "Clinka" says previously, if the perpetrators can shrug off the penalties then this is a waste of time.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment