Econofreight cleared
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• Econofreight Heavy Transport and one of its drivers were given absolute discharges after admitting using a vehicle with defective brakes and two defective tyres. They appeared before the Taunton Magistrates.
PC Alan Parsons said that he had seen a Daf tractor with a Special Types trailer carrying a large railway locomotive at the Taunton Deane service area on the M5. He noticed that on one tyre the inner edge was completely devoid of tread and the cords were exposed. On a second tyre there were areas of tread in the centre where the pattern was not visible, and the steel cord structure was exposed. The brake linkages on the trailer appeared to be worn and he heard a hiss of air.
DTp vehicle examiner Peter Sturt said that he had issued an immediate prohibition because of the defective tyres.
He agreed with Stephen Kirkbright, defending, that the worn linkages and the air leak were not immediately dangerous and were "delayed" items on the prohibition. He also agreed that the brake defects would have been picked up during the next routine inspection by Econofreight.
The driver, Thomas Cotter, said that he had driven the 60.65-tonne artic from Plymouth that morning. He had stopped at the service area for a break and, as instructed, he and the steersman had inspected the vehicle and load.
They saw that the tyres had "stripped", with patches of tread breaking away. Cotter said that he phoned the depot and was told to stay where he was while a tyre fitter came out to change the tyres, He told the police officer that he had already reported the tyres when he inspected the vehicle: the tyre fitter arrived before the vehicle examiner had completed his inspection.
ICirkbright said that Cotter had done what any competent driver should have done.
The driver, the steersman and the police officer who accompanied the load through Devon had all inspected the vehicle and had not noticed any defects.