Red diesel truck was used on public roads SAI (Services)
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suspended after it used a modified forestry locomotive to move timber for customer By Roger Brown met Norbord's purchasing manager, TRAFFIC COMMISSIONER (TC) for about the restoration of the fifth wheel Scotland Joan Aitken has suspended on the vehicle, which was still classified Nairn-based timber haulier SAT (Services) as a locomotive.
from running vehicles for six weeks, after The TC also heard details about two ruling it had operated a vehicle classified convictions against director Hugh John for forestry work on public roads. ston. In September 2008 he was convict In a written decision after a public ed at Inverness Justices Court, of speedinquiry and driver conduct hearing held ing and three points were placed on his in Inverness during November/Decemlicence. In March 2011 he was fined £100 ber 2012, the TC said the order would at Aberdeen Justices Court for using a run from 24 March. vehicle with defective tyres, and had In 2011 Vosa began an investigation another three points added.
into SAI, authorised for two vehicles and Aitken concluded that it had not suited two trailers, after it received a tip-off that director Johnston economically to run the firm was operating more vehicles the vehicle legally under the licence. than it should have been. Officers found "He would have lost out on the use of red that SAI had a truck classified as a mobile diesel and the savings in tax," she said.
crane/locomotive without a fifth wheel to The firm stopped running the vehicle operate in forests, loading timber onto in November 2011 but Aitken said that trailers. Due to its classification, the truck operating in excess of the authorisation could run on red diesel and save signifi"offends against fair competition". She cantly on excise duty. However, officers added: "There was sustained unauthordiscovered SAT was using that vehicle to ised use. The examiners established that transport timber from forest locations to the operator's three vehicles were going wood products business Norbord, near into Norbord."
Dalcross, and to the A96, as well as other She also suspended Johnston's LGV main roads serving roads to forests, with driver licence for four weeks and issued its fifth wheel reattached. his wife, transport manager Juliet JohnIn May 2011 a Vosa traffic examiner ston, with a warning.
who had a list of dates from May 2010 Summing up showing when the vehicle in question Aitken said the suspension imposed had presented loads at its weighbridge. would take away "any commercial adNeither the DVLA nor Vosa was told vantage gained in the past" by the firm.