A&C Nowell not at fault
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• Austwick-based A&C Nowell and one of its drivers have been given an absolute discharge by Burton-uponTrent Magistrates after admitting using a trailer with defective brakes.
The court heard that an articulated Volvo tipper carrying scrap, and driven by Stephen Halstead, failed to stop after coming down a hill and collided with seven vehicles waiting at traffic lights. Halstead was said to have claimed that his brakes failed.
Police vehicle examiner, PC Robert Hill said he found 5075trun of movement on the actuators of the rear trailer brakes. There was also water and sludge in the near-side brake drum and an air leak from the diaphragm of the near-side brake. He felt that there would have been a severe reduction in the braking efficiency of the vehicle.
Managing director Arthur Nowell said the leak on the diaphragm was very minor and would not have affected the braking efficiency. As far as the lack of adjustment of the actuators was concerned, the driver had reported that the rescue crew had wound all the brakes off.
Consultant engineer Ivan Ratcliffe said it was standard practice to wind the brakes off when recovering vehicles and brakes wound back to the extent found would have had a significant effect on the braking efficiency, which would have been quite apparent to the driver.