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'Red tape' firm • pores the law

10th August 2000
Page 8
Page 8, 10th August 2000 — 'Red tape' firm • pores the law
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• by Pete Swinger A livestock haulier who complained government red tape was strangling his business was fined a total of £1;00 with £85 costs by Bridgnorth magistrates on 39 charges—mainly for drivers' hours offences.

Raymond Bache, of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, admitted 28 charges of permitting seven drivers to take insufficient rest, 10 counts of not producing tachograph sheets and one of exceeding the Operator's Licence.

The seven drivers, including Bache's son Robert, were fined a total of 22,100 with £490 costs after admitting a total of 29 charges-28 involving failing to take the required rest periods. The other charge was failing to produce a tachograph sheet Malcolm Seward, prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, told the magistrates last week that the offences were discovered after tachograph sheets were produced, on request from the Vehicle Inspectorate, by Raymond Bache, who was the sole proprietor.

It was revealed that some drivers had driven for more than 10 hours without having sufficient rest while others exceeded the four-and-a-half hours' driving period without having a long enough break. But not all the tachograph sheets requested had been produced, said Seward.

Andrew Fletcher, defending, said the business had been in the same family for three generations but that Bache had complained that it was being strangled by government red tape.

"Deliveries had to be made within certain time schedules to comply with animal welfare controls. Other rigid restrictions, including the time-consuming issue of animal identification tags, were adding to the many transportation problems," said Fletcher.

Fletcher said that Bache had now reduced his fleet from nine to seven and that measures had been introduced to make sure drivers took the required breaks.


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