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Tacho offences fined

20th July 2000, Page 19
20th July 2000
Page 19
Page 19, 20th July 2000 — Tacho offences fined
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George Smith of Ysceiflog, near HoNwell has been fined £300 for 10 offences of falsifying tachograph records. Smith had denied the offences but was convicted by the Flintshire magistrates.

Prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, Albert Oldfield said Smith was an owner-driver using a three-axled Foden tipper to haul construction materials for Tarmac Quarry Products from quarries in the North Wales area to sites throughout the North-West.

An examination of Smith's tachograph records for a sixmonth period led to suspicions that they had been falsified and further enquiries were made.

Traffic examiner Geoffrey Whitley said he. had obtained a series of computergenerated delivery notes from Tarmac. When he compared these notes with the tachograph records it transpired that rest periods had been recorded when the vehicle was obviously in motion, either loading and weighing at the quarries or on the public road.

Outward journeys were not always recorded in their entirety. To make such recordings drivers had to interfere with the signals to the tachograph; removing the fuse was a common way to do this. Smith's motive was obviously to work throughout the day without taking the required 45-minute break after 4.5 hours driving, Whitely concluded.

Denying that he had falsified the records, Smith said he could not remember that far back. He denied removing the tachograph fuse, saying he always took his break, mostly in the lane. It depended where he was when it was due.

He told the court that there must have been an intermittent fault on the tachograph.


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