Northgate Public Services has been awarded a six-year contract by the Department for Transport, to develop and operate a foreign operator payment system for the HGV road user levy.
Starting in April 2014, the levy will see all lorries, weighing 12 tonnes or more, charged to use the UK road network.
Northgate’s new system hopes to enable foreign operators to purchase the levy before entering the UK, through online and telephone sales channels, as well as point of sale terminals.
It will create a database identifying hauliers who have not paid, or underpaid, and face a £300 fine.
“Getting the foreign operator payment system right will be crucial to the success of the levy, said transport minister, Stephen Hammond.
“The system will be easy for foreign carriers and their drivers to access and straight forward to use. Its design also sends an important message to those foreign operators who think about avoiding paying.”
