Ribble and drivers fined 5,510 for not resting
Page 28
Page 29
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Manchester City Magistrates have fined Ribble Motor Services and 15 of its drivers .2.5,510 after the drivers admitted 44 offences of failing to take statutory breaks while working on express services for National Express.
Christopher Worthy, prosecuting for the North Western Traffic Area, said that scheduling on services to London, Poole and Inverness was too tight to enable drivers to take the required 45-minute breaks after 41/2 hours on the road.
The purpose of the regulations was to prevent drivers from driving when tired and thus causing accidents: the situation had come to light following complaints from the public about one of the services concerned.
Defending, Michael Waller said the shaping, timetabling and scheduling of the services was done by National Express. Schedules prepared in the summer of 1986 became too tight for road conditions in February and March 1987. When Ribble became aware that the schedules were too tight it was not in a position to change them— all it could do was instruct its drivers to do their best.
The situation had improved as the weather improved, and changes in the timetables in April 1987 had improved it further. The number of admitted offences represented less than 9% of the tachograph charts checked and no actual danger had been caused to the public on any occasion.
Ribble was fined a total of 24,400 plus prosecution costs of 2450; the drivers were each fined 215 per offence. • A warrant for the arrest of Christopher Cooper, a director of Rugeley-based Sternhaven, has been issued by the town's magistrates, They heard that he had gone on holiday despite being aware of the date the court was due to hear charges alleging the unauthorised use of vehicles against himself, the company and a fellow director.
Sternhaven faces four allegations of using vehicles without an '0' licence and four of using '0' licence identity discs with intent to deceive. The hearing was adjourned until 20 October when the allegations will be denied. Sternhaven is in liquidation,