Three heavy goods vehicle drivers pleaded guilty at North Avon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 15th February 2011 for breaching vehicle weight restrictions in South Gloucestershire.
The drivers, all of whom attended court in person, were prosecuted by the council for driving their vehicles through 7.5 tonne environmental weight restrictions.
Robert John Edwards of St George, Bristol was fined £80 and ordered to pay costs of £226 plus a £15 victim surcharge for driving his 18 tonne vehicle through the weight restriction between Alveston and Aust on Wednesday 1st September 2010, having been seen by an enforcement officer of South Gloucestershire Council trading standards.
Christopher Clarke of Headley Park, Bristol was also fined £80 and ordered to pay costs of £226 plus a £15 victim surcharge for driving his 18 tonne vehicle through a 7.5 tonne weight limit in Hallen.
Raymond Dennis Cox of Horfield, Bristol received a six month conditional discharge for driving his 26 tonne vehicle through Hallen village.
Clarke and Cox were seen driving their vehicles through the weight restriction in Hallen on Tuesday 10th August 2010 during a routine weight restriction enforcement check by trading standards in the village.
Cllr Heather Goddard, executive member for community services said: “Heavy goods vehicle drivers should pay particular attention to the traffic signs and obey them at all times, because they can impose extra restrictions on them. It is not good enough to burden local people with noise and pollution from their vehicles.”
Trading standards and licensing manager, Mark Pullin, said: “My officers in partnership with the police regularly conduct enforcement checks to ensure drivers of heavy vehicles do not breach the weight restrictions the Council has imposed on our roads and bridges. If drivers take the risk of taking a short cut, they may well find themselves caught out.”
Source: South Gloucestershire Council
