Row over dynamic bridges
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• Surrey County Council Trading Standards is using a dynamic-axle weighbridge (DAVIT) statically and prosecuting IIGV operators on its evidence, despite claims that there is no law supporting its use.
The Vehicle Inspectorate says it can see no reason why D AWs cannot be used statically for weighing small vehicles, because they are often too light to register an accurate weight dynamically.
But it is less confident about their use statically for large vehicles—especially those with compensating axles, which could cause inaccurate readings. Other problems could involve transmission wind-up and surge in tanker loads.
Chris Broster of the VI's Roadworthiness Weighing Scheme says: "We wouldn't weigh anything'over 3.5-4.0 tonnes in this way, And we wouldn't prosecute on it."
Surrey, however, has been using its Leatherheal DAW statically and bringing prosecutions. Senior enforcement officer Vaughan Jones says: "We only use it statically on large vehicles if any of its axles are very close together or if it is towing a small trailer, but normally not for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes."