Overloaded driver claims 'stitch up'
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by Matthew Davis • A driver for one of Russell Davies' subcontractors who accused the container giant of "stitching him up" with an overweight load has been let off by magistrates.
In mitigation driver John Mortimer said Russell Davies transport manager Colin Wolfe misled him by placing an unevenly loaded and overweight container on his 32.5-tonne Volvo F7.
Appearing before Lewes magistrates on Monday (12 September), Mortimer pleaded guilty but received an absolute discharge with £25 costs.
Crawley-based subcontractor Van Houten Transport, which employed Mortimer, was fined £200 with £25 costs. Gregory Van Houten pleaded guilty by letter to overloading the drive axle by nearly 15%.
He told the court: "Russell Davies is an unreliable customer to work for. Their attitude seems to be as long as it is not their vehicle it's not their responsibility. There was no financial gain to myself or the driver for overloading."
Mortimer said: "The axle weight ticket I was handed by Russell Davies staff said the load weighed 23 tonnes. That would have taken my vehicle up to its weight limit." He added that he had no way of checking the load's weight himself as there was no weighbridge at the Isle of Grain site.
Mortimer accused Russell Davies' transport manager Colin Wolfe, who was based at the Isle of Grain, of lying about the size of his 32.5-tonne Volvo F7 to his customer. "The shipping agent said that Colin Wolfe told him that my vehicle was a 38-tonne tractor unit," said Mortimer. "As far as I am concerned, he had lied. He said you have got to tell them what they want to hear—Russell Davies used me as a scapegoat."
Russell Davies operations director Bryan Haworth says: "We pride ourselves on excellent relationships with our sub-contractors, which have developed over 20 years in the industry. There are laid-down procedures for dealing with these aspects of the business which include meeting all legal requirements, which we believe were followed in this instance."