Moving stock upsets weights
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• Wetherby magistrates convicted John, Keith and Dennis Stunnen, trading as Stunnen Bros, of overloading two livestock vehicles despite being told that there were no guidelines for the weighing of such vehicles.
The Chesterfield-based partners were each fined a total of 2120, and were ordered to pay 2137 prosecution costs.
Last November the two vehicles were stopped and checked at the Boston Spa dynamic axle weigher within a short space of time.
Traffic examiner Roy Boston said he weighed a two-wded vehicle loaded with approximately 70 sheep, and found that the permitted gross weight was exceeded by 1,210kg — 16.1%. He had not seen the sheep moving while the vehicle was being weighed.
Traffic examiner Keith Williamson said he had weighed a two-wded vehicle loaded with sheep and cattle. The permitted second axle weight was exceeded by 1,130kg (11.1%). The sheep made the vehicle light at the front and the cattle made it heavy at the back.
Sturmen said that he had worked out the weights of the loads according to the weights issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Due to the continuous movement of livestock within the vehicles, the weight of the axles could not be worked out. He had asked the DTp for advice following the incidents, but was still awaiting a reply.