Appeal fails
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AN APPEAL by Penn Transport Services against a £250 fine imposed by Lichfield magistrates for an axle overload has been rejected at Stafford Crown Court.
Traffic examiner John Green said that when he checked a four-wheeled rigid vehicle belonging to the company on the Wall dynamic axle weighbridge, there was 5.9 per cent overload of 639kg.
The company argued that the fine was too severe in the circumstances. Hauliers were placed in an impossible situation as it was impossible to check weigh axles anywhere.
John Bradley, a director, disputed a statement by Mr Green that axles could be weighed on static weighbridges which he said could be inaccurate by as much as five cwt per axle.
However, Keith Blennerhassett QC said they were talking about an overload of half a tonne.
The load had not been weighed by the customer and the driver had not bothered to check weigh, and defied instructions given by the company.
He had since left the company's employment.
Dismissing the appeal, Judge Blennerhassett said that it was clearly a very conscientious company but nevertheless it was responsible for the overloaded vehicle.