A lorry driver from Weston-Super-Mare has been fined £115 and ordered to pay £583 in costs for driving a 13 tonne heavy goods vehicle through a 7.5 tonne environmental weight restriction in Westerleigh.
Christopher Pearce, from Bleadon, pleaded guilty (by post) to the offence at North Avon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 6 July.
Mr Pearce was seen driving his vehicle through the weight restriction which covers the village on Tuesday 12 January by officers from South Gloucestershire Council’s trading standards.
Cllr Heather Goddard, executive member for communities, said: “Heavy goods vehicle drivers are reminded to pay attention to weight restriction signs and should obey them at all times. It is unacceptable to burden local people with noise and pollution from vehicles on roads that are not designed to take them.”
Mark Pullin, trading standards and licensing manager, added: “The environmental weight restriction through Westerleigh was introduced by the council in 2008 and we are actively enforcing it. My officers, in partnership with the police, regularly conduct enforcement checks to ensure drivers of heavy vehicles do not breach the weight restrictions on South Gloucestershire’s roads and bridges. If drivers take a short cut, they may well find themselves caught out as this driver did.”
Source: South Gloucestershire Council
