Drivers to stick to rules
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• Drivers hours and tachograph offences have cost four drivers employed by Staffordshire-based haulier DSH Freight Services £3,390 in fines and costs.
Ian Gordon, of Greasley Road, Abbey Hulton, Stoke-on-Trent pleaded guilty before Cheadle magistrates to one offence of exceeding the daily driving limit; one of taking insufficient daily rest; and one of driving for 4.5 hours without taking the required 45-minute break. He was fined £950 with £50 costs.
Stephen Walker, of Barbrook Avenue, Weston Park, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent pleaded guilty to three offences of exceeding the daily driving limit; one offence of taking insufficient daily rest; and one offence of failing to keep a tachograph record. He was fined £1,640 and £50 costs.
David Yates, of Pinnock Street, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent pleaded guilty to one offence of taking insufficient daily rest. He was fined £350 with £50 costs.
Nigel Swinscoe, of Greensome Lane, Doxey, Stafford pleaded guilty to one offence of taking insufficient daily rest. He was fined £250 and £50 costs.
The hearing of charges of unauthorised use against DSH Freight, of Mobberley, near Tean and of permitting the drivers' offences against both the company and transport manager Shaun Hughes was adjourned until May for trial.
Prosecuting for the DOT, Michael McKnight said the matters came to light when the company's tachograph charts were checked by a traffic examiner. He found a number of breaches of the regulations in regard to hours driven and failures to take correct rest periods.
Yates and Swinscoe had been involved in the delivery of JCB spares to Avonmouth. The way that the run was scheduled made it impossible for them to take the correct rest periods. Gordon had driven for 10 hours 50 minutes and only had seven hours 55 minutes rest. He had also driven for five hours 15 minutes without any appreciable break.
Walker had driven for 11 hours on one occasion and 11 hours 20 minutes on another with only seven hours 20 minutes rest. He had exceeded 10 hours driving on more than three occasions in that week. A distance of 265km had not been recorded.
The magistrates said they viewed the offences seriously: the drivers could fall asleep at the wheel. They were all experienced drivers and it was up to them to make sure they drove in accordance with the regulations which were intended to safeguard the public.