Public warning to TDG's Williams Bros
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• Extraordinary precautions taken to prevent overloading helped a leading North Wales haulier escape with only a warning when it appeared at a Chester public inquiry last week.
Williams Bros (Wales), a Transport Development Group company, was called to disciplinary proceedings before North Western Deputy Licensing Authority John Levin following overloading convictions.
Managing director David Williams said the company operated 120 vehicles and 200 trailers at the time.
All the convictions arose out of one movement carrying potash. The company mistakenly believed that the whole movement was on private roads, but the vehicles used a public road for 200 to 300m.
The offences came to light when weighbridge records for 30 per cent of the journeys were examined. A public weighbridge near the loading point was unmanned when it was visited by the company and on another occasion one of its drivers was turned away.
In any event, the company had not check weighed as it believed the operation was entirely over private roads.
The company's general practice is to weigh every load. Weight tickets must be handed in by the drivers, and they are given a disciplinary warning if their vehicles are overloaded.
Jonathan Lawton, for the company, said it took extraordinary steps to prevent overloading offences and in his experience it paid greater attention to the matter than any other haulier he knew.
Levin said a public warning is an adequate penalty.