VIEA agrees ti
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/ Following hauliers' protests about the inaccuracy of dynamic axle weighbridges, the Vehicle Inspectorate Executive Agency (VIEA) has agreed to run another trial giving drivers found to be overweight on first reading the opportunity to reweigh.
The four-day experiment will be staged at Ainley Top weighbridge on the M62 near Huddersfield in September, and might be followed by another at Beattock Summit on the A74 in the Scottish borders.
The Department of Transport has already carried out a survey of three suspect dynamic axle weighbridges at Carlisle, Doxey and Dunkirk (CM 7-13 March).
The Road Haulage Association, which had pressed for the surveys, conceded that those weighbridges were accurate.
The VIEA, which took over responsibility for DTp weighbridges from the DTp when it amalgamated with the traffic examiners organisation in April, says the problem at Ainley Top is a "long gradient" up to the weighbridge.
Drivers found to have overloaded axles have complained that load transfer has occurred as they approached the bridge.
They will be allowed to circle a roundabout on the level beside the weighbridge before being weighed again, says the VIEA, which claims: "The bridge itself is very accurate."
It adds that it would be 'very surprised" if the survey showed