Coliseum's tacho fines
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MAGISTRATES at Eastleigh, Hampshire have fined Coliseum Coaches of Southampton a total of E910, plus £150 costs. Eleven Coliseum drivers were also fined a total of £605 (plus E55 costs) at the same court sitting — all on drivers' hours and tachograph offences.
The 272 charges against the company and drivers arose from a spot check on just one vehicle. Many of the offences related to drivers who failed to take relevant weekly rest periods.
The offences also involved drivers who were not using the mode switches on their tachographs correctly. Company director David Pitter said that drivers were given instructions on tachograph operation and other legal matters but they had "little regard for the mode switches."
Of the original 272 charges against the company and drivers, only 29 were dismissed. Fines of £5 or £10 were imposed for each of the 234 guilty verdicts. There were also nine abso lute discharges. There were notguilty pleas to most of the 272 charges.
The drivers were mainly found guilty of either failing to use their tachographs or failing to have weekly rest periods of not less than 29 consecutive hours immediately preceded or followed by a daily rest period.
The company was found guilty of either permitting the drivers to work without weekly rest periods or of failing to use tachographs.