Renters plead ignorance
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FiVan rental firms were attacked for fairing to . inform their customers of the law in a case appearing before magistrates In Leigh, Lancs.
Three firms accused hire companies of neglecting to tell them that 0-licences were required for 7.5-tanners, and that tachographs had to be uses In the first case Blackburnbased SJ Static Control was ordered to pay £1,885 in fines and costs for using a grossly overloaded 7.5-tanner without an 0-licence. Driver Philip Johnson was fined 1190 with 135 costs.
Prosecuting, Alan Bakkar told the court that when the van was stopped by police last October no 0-licence identity disc was being displayed.
When the van was weighed it was found to have a gross weight of 11,900kg, an excess of 58.6%. The rear axle weighed 7,980kg, an excess of 42.5%. Driver Philip Johnson was unable to produce a tachograph chart and said he did not know how to use a tachograph.
In a letter to the court, the company said that when it hired the van from LOW Van Rentals it was told that all the driver needed was a driving licence.
No mention was made of an 0-licence or a tachograph and as far as the firm was aware it had been complying with the law. A spokesman concluded that this was the first and last time it would hire a vehicle.
In the second case, Hitchinbased Wilmot Dixon Properties was fined 1500, with £35 costs for using a vehicle without an 0-licence and when the tachograph was not used.
Appearing for the company, Rod Hall said the vehicle had been hired from Salford Van Hire and they were not told that an 0-licence was required. Salford Van Hire subsequently told the company that it was not obliged to inform people of the requirement to have an 0-licence.
In the third case, Pegasus Egerton, of Aldridge, admitted using a vehicle without an 0licence, when the tachograph was not used and failing to issue the driver with tachograph record sheets. it was fined 1750, with 135 costs.