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Firm has to wait for IC's licence decision
Page 30
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A DERBYSHIRE tipper operator, whose director blamed the new drivers' hours rules for a series of offences, has to wait to find out if it has kept its 0-licence.
Buxton Magistrates ordered Tideswell-based PS Roberts (Haulage) to pay £2,100 in fines and costs after it admitting 38 offences of using an unauthorised centre in Bollington, using vehicles when drivers had broken the drivers' hours rules and permitting a driver to make false tacho records ('Tipper company fined more than £2,000', CM 19 June).
The company and the drivers concerned had been called before North West Deputy Traffic Commissioner Tom Macartney. The company holds a licence for five vehicles and five trailers. Traffic examiner Keith Henry revealed that an analysis of tacho records for a 10-week period last November had shown the use of an unauthorised operating centre at Bollington and a series of drivers' hours offences, including driving for more than four-and-ahalf hours without taking the required breaks, and exceeding the daily, weekly and fortnightly driving limits.
Driver Keith Higginbottom had used a false name on a tacho chart on six occasions. He agreed with Robert Locke, for the firm, that the bulk of the infringements were four-and-a-half-hour offences.
Director Paul Roberts said the change in the drivers' hours rules "threw a spanner in the works". He added that the classification of 'off-road' driving as driving was a big problem, and that the firm had decided to sell all the vehicles apart from the one artic in the fleet. He felt the days of the eightwheeled tipper were over.
Before the changes, he'd had the job "off to a T. it was just clockwork". The drivers knew the vehicles were being sold, and as each one left, the company disposed of that unit. There were just two vehicles left when the traffic examiner came.
The DTC will announce his decision in writing at a future date.