LA reserves decision on lorries parked at home
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• Whitminster, Gloucestershire haulier James Timms Transport has to wait to see what action Western Deputy LA John Robins is going to take following convictions for using unauthorised operating centres and drivers' hours offences. In addition to considering disciplinary action, the DLA also has an application to renew the licence for 23 vehicles and 22 trailers with an additional operating centre at Haresfield, The company, of Kidnams Farm, School Lane, Whitminster, was ordered in May to pay 23,120 in fines and costs by Stroud magistrates after pleading guilty to numerous charges concerning operating centres, tachographs and hours. Eleven of the company's drivers were fined a total of 23,400.
Traffic examiner Cyril Stokes told a Gloucester disciplinary inquiry that an investigation started following complaints about vehicles being parked in various parts of Gloucestershire. A total at 988 tachograph charts, covering two months, were examined: 502 discrepancies were revealed and the company was charged with 77 sample offences. The company held a licence with operating centres at Whitminster, Stroud and Hempstead. There had been a widespread practice of drivers taking vehicles home and parking there overnight and starting the next day's journey straight from home. When interviewed, managing director James Timms had said it had been more cost effective for vehicles to be parked overnight in various places. For the company, Meinir Mathias said vehicles had been parked at Haresfieid overnight as that was where iwo of the drivers lived and it had been more convenient. Twelve vehicles were on contract with Rank Xerox at Mitcheldean, and two of the drivers on that contract who lived at Stonehouse had parked in a pub car park with the landlord's permission. Again vehicles had been parked at Quedgley and Broadoak because Mat was where the drivers lived A vehicle was parked at Tewkesbury as the driver lived there and did local work for Allied Mills at Tewkesbury. He would occasionally take a load home and deliver it to the company the next morning. The company hod suffered badly from break-Ins and vandalism and the drivers had felt it safer to take their vehicles home.