Hours offenders were 'amateurs'
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/Drivers' hours and tachograph offences cost five drivers employed by John Myers, trading as Warisa Distribution, £1,050 in fines and costs when they appeared before Trafford magistrates in Greater Manchester.
Nigel Clarke, of Shevington, Wigan, admitted taking insufficient daily rest. He was fined £100.
Terence Fellows, of Chorley, admitted taking insufficient weekly rest and was fined £100.
Cohn Giles, of Billinge, near Wigan, admitted two offences of making a false record; four of taking insufficient weekly rest; one of taking insufficient daily rest; and one of exceeding the daily driving limit. He was fined £300.
Warren Myers, of Shevington, Wigan, admitted making a false record and was fined £100.
Trevor Owens, of Horwich was fined £200 after admitting two offences of taking insufficient weekly rest. Each driver was ordered to pay £50 towards prosecution costs.
Prosecuting for the DOT, John Heaton said the offences came to light after a traffic examiner requested the production of tachograph charts for January and February. One chart in the name of Warren Myers was clearly made out in Giles' handwriting, That chart was falsified to conceal two drivers' hours offences. Myers had admitted writing his name on the chart, saying that he was just trying to help Giles.
Defending, John Backhouse said that it had been a very amateurish falsification. Giles had falsified charts on two occasions. The first time he had asked Myers to enter this name. On the second occasion he had entered Myers' name himself. Giles had since been dismissed.
The firm's drivers were paid a flat rate plus expenses, and there was no financial gain in breaching the regulations. It was difficult to see why the offences were committed, other than to get home.
Giles said that his employer knew he should have a weekly rest period but kept telling him to come back so that the vehicle could be unloaded.
John Myers denied permitting the drivers to exceed the hours limits and take insufficient rest. His case was adjourned until December.