price for long hours
Page 21
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Knaresborough owner-driver Peter Wills has been ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £3,677.50 for a series of drivers' hours and tachograph offences.
Appearing before Harrogate magistrates, Wills pleaded guilty to two offences of falsifying tachograph records; six offences of driving for 4.5 hours without the required break; two offences of exceeding the daily driving limit; two offences of taking insufficient daily rest; and five offences of taking insufficient weekly rest. He was fined 13100 with £577.50 costs.
Prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, Richard Wadkin said the legislation was there to prevent danger ously tired drivers being behind the wheel of HGVs, and also to create a level playing field for competitors. Both those aims had been put in jeopardy in this case, he added, and Wills had shown a wilful disregard for the rules.
Wadkin told the court that in June 1998 two charts had been filled in for the same day: one in the name of Peter Wills, and a false one in the name of Colin Wills.
Wills had been on duty for 37hr without taking the required daily rest. His total driving time had been 14hr 52min—Wills had effectively worked round the clock with only 4hr 50min rest.
In July 1998 Wills had once worked for 35hr 20min without the required daily rest, said Wadkin. This included driving for a total of 16hr 20min,
including a spell of 8hr 54min without a break.
Gary Hodgson, defending, said Wills had not understood all the rules but now had a good system in place and was sending his charts for independent analysis. Wills had also acquired a hand-held analyser which enabled him to keep track of his hours.
The falsifications had arisen because the Charts concerned had no name on, and when the VI called for the charts to be produced Wills had foolishly put his brother's name on them.