Lorry Watch rise fears realised
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By Ashleigh Wight THE ROAD HAULAGE Association (RHA) has declared the rise of Lorry Watch schemes a problem after a Bristol haulier was ined for repeatedly breaching the weight restriction on Bradford on Avon’s town bridge.
Concrete pumping service Wright Minimix was ined £500 with £125 costs at Chippenham Magistrates’ Court last week, after Lorry Watch volunteers observed it breaking the 18-tonne weight limit.
The RHA said it does not condone hauliers ignoring weight limits, but it is concerned that a rapid increase in the number of Lorry Watch schemes (CM 6 Septem
ber), and the fact that many volunteers struggle to accurately identify the true weight of LGVs, will result in the unfair persecution of hauliers.
Chrys Rampley, infrastructure manager for the RHA, said: “I am concerned with the growth of them. People are not trained as well as they could be. It is a problem and we would much rather talk to people and sort it out than have people standing on street corners.” Keith Humphries, cabinet member for public health and protection services for Wiltshire Council, said: “The majority of companies that are warned by us when they’re reported by the volunteers don’t re-offend. However, there have been a few that have ignored our warnings.” Wright Minimix was unavailable for comment as CM went to press.