Records inept, not inaccurate
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• Hours and records offences led to Yorkshire hauliers G. W. T. Sanderson (Haulage) Ltd, of East Ardsley, and two of its drivers being fined a total of £165 by the Morley Borough magistrates this week. In November two other drivers employed by the company were fined £55 in relation to the same circumstances.
The company faced 12 charges of failing to cause a current record to be kept, six charges of permitting drivers to drive in excess of 10 hours, seven charges of failing to enter the required particulars on a records sheet and one of failing to display an 0 licence identity certificate on a vehicle. Driver R. H. Horner of Jackson Rd, Leeds, faced four charges of failing to keep a current record and driver H. McDonald of Primrose Hill, Batley, three similar charges. All the defendants pleaded guilty.
Mr Michael Patterson, prosecuting for the Yorkshire LA, said in May one of the company's vehicles was stopped on Al9 in Durham and a traffic examiner noted that it was not displaying an 0-licence certificate. Other offences were apparent when the driver, Mr A. Margrave, produced his record book to the examiner. An examination of records at the company's premises revealed offences by both the company and the other three drivers.
When a director of the company, Mr G. W. T. Sanderson, was interviewed he said Mr Margrave's vehicle was definitely specified on the company's 0 licence. As far as the other offences were concerned he said responsibility for ensuring that records were accurate and that hours were not exceeded has been left to the transport manager. He had since been dismissed and a new transport manager appointed.
Mr J. D. Wainwright, defending, said there was no evidence to suggest that the records were not accurate and the company felt that in fact driving hours had not been exceeded; it looked as if they had because of the inept way in which the records had been filled in.
The magistrates fined the company £130, Homer <£20, and McDonald £15. In November Margrave was fined a total of £20 on four charges of exceeding 10 hours and driver G. England of Primrose Hill, Batley. £35 on two charges of exceeding 10 hours and five of failing to keep a current record.