Attlee's amendment could lead to consignor liability
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• by Karen Mlles Customers caught forcing hauliers to overload will find themselves facing tougher sanctions if a Conservative peer's attempts to strengthen the law prove successful.
The planned amendment to the government's transport bill will introduce joint liability for overloading offences, making it impossible to prosecute a driver or a haulier unless a successful prosecution had already been brought against the person or company which had loaded the truck.
Earl Attlee, Tory transport spokesman in the Lords, wants to table the amendment when the transport bill arrives in the Lords in April or May, hoping the government will take ton board.
If it does, tipper and container operators in particular would find customers at building sites, ports and factories more careful about the loads they dispense,
Lord Whitty, Transport Minister in the Lords, may argue existing consignor liability law is sufficient but
an amendment would force him to study the effectiveness of existing legislation. Current law allows customer prosecution but drivers and hauliers
are normally charged, with fines up to 25,000.
The peer is also planning to table an amendment, which has government support, to impound vehicles caught without an Operator's Licence.
But Attlee criticises road hauliers For a lack of interest in the bill. Most of it is concerned with introducing congestion charging and improving rail, but its broad nature means operators can push for amendments on a wide range of issues, from the pro Attlee: Pushing for consignor nobility.
posed Working Time Directive for drivers to annual test lead times.
"People can't complain about politicians being out of touch if they can't be bothered to keep us in touch," he concludes.
N Contact Attlee at the House of Lords, London SW1A OPW, phone 0171 219 3000 or e-mail attleej sparliament.uk.