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Driver blamed pressure for tacho chart offences

12th July 2001, Page 19
12th July 2001
Page 19
Page 19, 12th July 2001 — Driver blamed pressure for tacho chart offences
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Keywords : Tachograph

An agency driver who claimed his bosses had pressured him into falsNng his tachograph charts was hit with a £500 fine and £150 costs at Liverpool City Magistrates Court.

Philip Smith pleaded guilty to 10 offences of falsification when he appeared before the magistrates but said that he had been told to "do the job or forget it" by his employer, Pleroma Distribution Ltd (PDL).

Prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, John Heaton said that the offences came to light when inspectors called at PDL's premises in Bootle to carry out routine examinations of tacho records. Smith's records were compared with his timesheets and discrepancies were found.

When interviewed, Smith admitted falsifying the charts to cover up excessive daily driving and duty time.

He had said that PDL had issued him with daily running schedules, but when he telephoned in to say he was running out of time he was told to change his tachograph chart and finish his schedule.

For Smith, Hassan Khan said that at first he had been given very short journeys but he had then been put on Scottish runs, although it was well-known in the company that these runs needed to be double-manned to be completed lawfully.

When Smith realised that and raised the matter with the duty manager he was told to "do the job or forget it".

Smith alleged that after arguing with the duty manager on the cab phone for over an hour he was threatened that if the company had to send another driver he would not get paid and would get no more work through the agency. Smith only worked for PDL for five weeks before giving up his job.

"PDL is a big fish which the VI ought to pursue," said Khan, pointing out that there were public safety issues.

Asked by the magistrates if PDL was to be prosecuted, Heaton replied: "There are ongoing investigations into the activities of the company."


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