1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160 
VI plansweighasyou o ilotforUK orts
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by Guy Sheppard Port authorities are reacting coolly to a new device designed to make overloading a far easier offence to detect,
The Vehicle Inspectorate wants to locate weighing-inmotion systems WIMS) at ports because they allow a high throughput of trucks. The slow speed at which trucks typically travel through ports also helps to make readings there more accurate than on main roads.
But Alan Campbell, VI roadworthiness policy manager says some ports are wary of allowing WIMS to be installed because they don't want higher levels of enforcement than their rivals.
Some are less keen to have it than others," he say& "They don't like things that delay traffic and the effect that has on their customers."
Doug Nye, harbourmaster of the Port of Newhaven, questions whether it will be of any benefit to his port. "I have reservations about it and until I actually see what the draft proposals consist of, I would not like to make a judgement."
However Keith Southey, spokesman for the Port of Dover, says: "In principle, we are happy for it to be trialled here, provided innocent traffic exits the port without interference."
Campbell argues that WIMS will actually benefit truckers because its readings are only used to identify vehicles likely to be overloaded rather than as evidence for a prosecution.
This makes it less likely that law-abiding hauliers will have vehicles pulled over for checks at a weighbridge.
WIMS are placed on or in the road to gauge the weight of every passing vehicle. Some are no bigger than a length of cable,
They were due to be launched in the summer but may now not be in use until early 2004 due to the complexity of the project. The 1140,000 allocated to the project is part of a Um cash boost from the government to give the VI more teeth (CM7-13 March I.