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TC lays down the law in night work

8th November 2001
Page 18
Page 18, 8th November 2001 — TC lays down the law in night work
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Keywords : Tachograph, Environment

North Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell has made it plain that drivers on night trunking and driving operations will not get away with infringing the drivers' hours, tachograph or speed lim iter regulations. The TC said that there was concern in the industry that these operations escaped the sanctions of the Vehicle Inspectorate and she wanted the message to go out that this was not the case.

The IC's comments came as she suspended the HGV driving licences of three former DHT Transport drivers for periods varying between one week and two months and warned a fourth, after they had been prosecuted for driving vehicles with defective speed limiters.

Vehicle examiner David Collings said that an examination of the Northwich-based cornpanys records established that the speed of the vehicles was not being controlled effectively.

Five drivers were

subsequently prosecuted and the case of a sixth, Jason Arnold, was

yet to come before the court. AndrE Lawrence was given a conditional dischar for 12 months for nine offences; RobE Garner was fined £100 for 15 offences; N Scott was fined £60 for 14 offences: Dar Hulse was fined £150 for 14 offences; a Graeme Hatton, the brother of managi director Andrew Hatton, was fined £30 f three offences. The company had sin gone into liquidation.

Graeme Hatton said that the compa had chosen to put money above carnelian with the legislation, partly to try and he' the drivers in jobs. They would not have SE out unroadworthy vehicles.

The TC said that she thought that the was a culture in the industry that it was right to drive vehicles when the speed Ili iter was not working.

She emphasised that drivers who did r use the speed limiter correctly could exec to lose their HGV licences.

Hatton's licence was suspended for tt months; Lawrence's for seven days; Hulsi for seven days; and Scott was issued wlti formal warning. Garner and Arnold failed attend the public inquiry and the adjourned the hearing of their cases, as sl wants to hearfrom them personally.


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