Operator's overload fine is reduced
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A £400 FINE on a Norfolk operator for overloading a lorry was reduced on appeal last Friday when the company, Chic-Grit Ltd, of Watton, submitted that the fine was inappropriate to an established operator.
Norwich Crown Court was told that a lorry belonging to the company was stopped on All in September and found to be overloaded by 853kg or 5.2 per cent. A rear axle was overloaded by 1,151kg or 10.7 per cent. The company was fined £200 on each charge.
At the appeal hearing, counsel for the. company said the fines were the sort usually imposed on "cowboy" pperators and were not appropriate to Chic-Grit, which had Peen established for over 20 tears, The company had nstructed its drivers about oading and there was no ad7antage to the company in )arrying a greater than permislible load.
The court ordered that the ines should be reduced to £75 )n each count but that £50 :hould be paid towards costs. )eputy Circuit Judge John linns said that he could undertand why the magistrates had mposed the fines but it ppeared that the company tad done a lot to try and avoid verloading offences. However, hey were in the hands of rivera and those who loaded he vehicles.