Railhead note needed
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by Amanda Bradbury • Drivers and hauliers of vehicles over 38 tonnes could be liable for up to a £ 5,000 fine plus prohibition of movement if they do not carry documents issued by rail operators or agents from April.
Regulations on 44-tonne vehicles require drivers to keep proof with them that they are carrying their load, a swapbody or container, to or from a railhead.
Enabling regulations laid before Parliament last week are scheduled to come into force on 6 April.
If documentation cannot be produced at the roadside or weighbridge, drivers and hauliers could be prosecuted for overloading: is not an offence in itself not to have the documents.
Issuing details of the documents for the first time, the Department of Transport admits they are "not tamper-proof". The DOT has no plans to oversee the format of the documents which can be issued by any rail operator or private rail terminal operator or their agents.
But whatever the format of the forms, the regulations state that they will need to show three things: • The date the contract was made to carry the load on rail and by whom—the date the load is transported by road and rail is not needed.
• Details of the railhead the load is being taken to/picked up from.
• A serial number of the swapbody or container carried.