WHO SHOULD BE LIABLE?
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• Consignor liability should be considered as a means of reducing overloading, says North-East Traffic Commissioner Keith Waterworth.
"It seems to me that as well as penalising the haulier, some thought ought to be given to considering whether the consignor is liable," says Waterworth. "The point is that it is dangerous to overload, and somehow or other the law has to zone in on the persons and companies who are responsible for overloading.' Resistance is expected from companies which would need to install weighing equipment on their premises: the transport associations are collaborating on ways to address the problem Waterworth points out that Irish hauliers already share responsibility with the consignors in some circumstances—including dangerous goods carried under ADR regulations.
Irish Road Haulage president James Quinn says he believes the Irish government is close to announcing moves to extend this principle to all areas of road haulage as part of the introduction of its continuous licensing system. It already applies where it can be shown that the operator used is operating illegally.