Haulier believed tacho not required
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• A haulier was fined £300 after claiming he thought he was exempt from tachograph regulations because his truck was being used for an exhibition at the NEC, Birmingham.
Orchard Crown, of Preston, Lancs, admitted a charge of not using a tachograph in one of its trucks. It was stopped at the NEC in September last year.
In a letter to the court the firm explained that it believed no tachograph was required because the truck was being used for exhibition purposes at the NEC. As a result the firm had previously pleaded not guilty.
It changed its plea after taking legal advice.
Solicitors explained that although vehicles on display at exhibitions did not require a tachograph. trucks used to
transport exhibition materials or goods for display did.
The firm said it was a small family business involved in the import and resale of toys and balloons, and had an excellent reputation in the Preston area.
• Haulier Michael Sprigg from Worcestershire was fined £200 by Solihull magistrates with £65 costs for being 10 months overdue on his mandatory tachograph inspections.
The offence was spotted in the car park of the NEC, Birmingham, last year.
Sprigg, who runs his firm with his wife, appealed for leniency after saying he was due to go into hospital for surgery on his shoulder. He said he would be off work for six months and would be forced to claim social security benefits.