FERRYMASTERS: NO ACTION
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Eastern Traffic Commissioner Brigadier Compton Boyd has taken no action against P&O Ferrymasters, despite convictions against the company and a number of its drivers for hours and tachograph offences. The Ipswich-based company was called before the Commissioner at a Cambridge disciplinary inquiry.
In May, 10 Ferrymosters drivers pleaded guilty to 58 tachograpgh and hours offences, including the falsification of records; they were ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £4,700. Ferrymasters was convicted of 24 offences; it was fined £7,500 with £2,000 costs.
DOT traffic examiner Richard Mutimer said that the company's premises were raided by police and traffic examiners following information received about alleged hours and tachograph offences. Various documents were seized.
It was found that drivers were failing to record ferry crossings and one driver was regularly being paid for up to 19 hours a day. Peter Rogers, Ferrymasters' director of European services, said that the company was horrified by the investigation and disciplinary action had been taken against a number of people including the operations manager, the traffic manager and the administration manager.
Roy Watson, a partner in Fleet Management Services, said that his firm was now analysing Ferrymaster's charts every week instead of every month. The company had introduced a penally point system for drivers who infringed the regulations.