Econofreight wins
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• Claims by Derbyshire Police that a driver of a special types vehicle travelling at 16 lon/h (10mph) up a hill on the M1 was driving without consideration to other road users, have been rejected by the Alfreton Magistrates — and they have ordered that the defence costs of Econofreight United Transport's driver Robert Roden be paid out of public funds.
Police motorway patrolman Colin Parker said other vehicles had to brake as the combination, a 6x4 Volvo N12 with an unladen 12-Wed trailer, crawled up the hill on a Friday evening rush hour.
Parker maintained that any vehicle travelling at 16knub (10mph) was being driven without consideration to other road users.
He did not believe it right that such a vehicle should be travelling on the motorway on a Friday evening in rush hour traffic in the hours of darkness.
Parker agreed with Stephen Kirkbright, defending, that the vehicle could not go any faster up the hill. He was not aware that it had an unladen com
bined weight of 80.5 tonnes, or that the movement had been notified to the Derbyshire Police.
Econofreight United managing director Tom Llewellyn said Derbyshire Police had not required the combination to be escorted or put any time limits on the movement. It was well illuminated and would not in convenience anyone on a three-lane motorway.
Boden said it had been impossible to go any faster. He was not aware be had inconvenienced anyone. He had asked the police to escort him off the motorway if they thought the combination was dangerous, but they refused and drove away.