Warning on declarations
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• A failure to disclose and declare overloading convictions led to Great Sutton, Wirral-based D Morgan (Plant Hire) appearing at disciplinary proceedings before North Western Deputy Licensing Authority John Levin.
The DLA was considering taking action against the company's licence, which authorises 35 vehicles and four trailers.
But Levin took no action, other than to issue a public warning, because he was satisfied that the company was doing everything it could to deal with the problem. All hauliers were at risk, as Parliament required vehicles not to be overloaded for safety reasons and they were not concerned with the hauliers' problems. It was one of the longest standing grievances in the haulage trade.
D Morgan director John Dennan said the company had simply not appreciated that it was necessary to notify the Traffic Area of the convictions. Morgan carried out 360 loaded movements a day and last year it carried 1.5 million tonnes. The scale of the operation was such that it was not possible to avoid isolated offences.
There had only been two convictions since a warning letter in March 1991. Though two too many, it was a significant improvement over the six convictions in the previous 12 months. There were many sites where there were no public weighbridges, Where weighbridges were available, they could not accurately check axle weights.
The company had gone to considerable lengths and expense to try and avoid overloading. Various equipment had been evaluated and the company was currently in discussion with Wheel Wash concerning the production of a mobile dynamic axle weigher. It was hoped that it would be in production soon.