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Tacho and licence offences incur £1445 fine
Page 27
Page 28
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THE OWNER OF a window supplier and his driver must pay i1,1545 in fines and costs for offences including failing to use a tachograph and driving on the wrong licence.
Richard Lloyd Williams, based in Caernarvon and trading as Celtic Windows, admitted the offences, including allowing an unqualified driver to use a vehicle, before Gwynedd Magistrates., Prosecuting for VOSA, Helen O'Grady said that a 7.5-tonne vehicle driven by Dylan Hughes was stopped in a check on the A470 at Dolgellau.
The vehicle was loaded with tools and UPVC windows and was heading from Tywyn to Llanrug When asked to produce his tachograph records. Hughes admitted he had not been using the tacho, but he knew he should have. Further enquiries revealed that Hughes did not hold the correct category of licence to drive the vehicle and so was not insured.
The firm's fleet manager Robert Bowden said the drivers were told to get their tachograph records from supplier Lucas or make their own arrangements.
He claimed not to know it was the operator's responsibility to ensure drivers had tacho records. He said he was unaware that Hughes did not have the correct licence and admitted that the company did not take copies of drivers' licences.
The magistrates fined Williams
Hours offences cost £513
DRIVING FOR more than four-and-a-half hours without taking the required break has cost Stockportlorrydriver WayneStewart£33infines and costs.
Stewart, of Offerton. Stockport, pleaded guilty to three offences before the Wrexham magistrates.
Traffic examiner Andrea Bennett said that in September 2008, a 26-tonne rigid laden with machinery and driven by Stewart was stopped in a check on the A494 at Ewloe. Deeside. Analysis of the tachograph records showed that on 29 July he had driven for four hours 50 minutes with a 30-minute break; that on 5 August he had driven for five hours 50 minutes with a 22-minute break; and that on 11 August he had driven for seven hours eight minutes with a 22-minute break.
The magistrates fined Stewart £100 per offence with £213 costs.
Authorisation cut by two
THE AUTHORISATION on the licence held by Telford, Shropshire-based Hudson Industrial Services has been cut from four vehicles and three trailers to two vehicles and three trailers for a period of 72 hours to be chosen by the company.
The company had been called before West Midland Deputy Traffic Commissioner Miles Dorrington at a Birmingham disciplinary inquiry.
The company undertook to have a written disciplinary procedure added to drivers' employment contracts, including examples of what would be considered niisconduct'serious misconduct' and 'gross misconduct', and that it be drafted by a qualified body. A copy must be sent to the TC by the end of February. It must also inform the TC what type of brake testing would be used by the maintenance provider and when it would be put into effect.
Fined for axle overload
AN AXLE WEIGHT overload cost a North Wales company and one of its drivers £1,421 in fines and costs.
St Asaph-based Grapevine (North Wales) and its driver Gareth Clarkson each admitted the offence before the Wrexham magistrates.
The magistrates were told that in June 2008, a 7.5-tonne vehicle belonging to the company and driven by Clarkson was stopped in a roadside check on the A494 at Ewloe, Deeside. The vehicle was travelling between Liverpool and Kinmel Bay. The permitted weight of the first axle was exceeded by 1,090kg (34.06%). In addition the maximum permitted gross weight of 7,500kg was exceeded by 2,000kg (26.67%).
The company was fined 11,000 with £221 costs, and Clarkson was fined £120 with £100 costs.