23-06-10 Hefty fines for drivers who refused fixed penalties
Two truck drivers have been hit with hefty fines in court after choosing not to accept on-the-spot fixed penalties for overloading.
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) officers issued the drivers with £200 fixed penalties at Portsmouth Docks on August 16 last year.
But both men questioned VOSA’s power to enforce the regulations, arguing that the docks were private land and they had no authority there.
Keith Jelfs, 52, of Bracknell, who worked for Dutch operator DWC International BV appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on June 10. Magistrates found him guilty of the overloading offence and fined him £500, plus £1,094 in court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Peter Orr, 61, a sole-trader from Plymouth was also found guilty of an overloading offence. He appeared at Salisbury Magistrates on June 21 and received a £500 fine, plus £2,000 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
In both cases, magistrates were unimpressed with the driver’s argument. They determined that the location was considered to be a 'road' for the purposes of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to which the public had access and that VOSA had every right to be undertaking enforcement action at that location.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITOR:
VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) is responsible for:
- • Processing applications for licences to operate lorries and buses and registering bus services
- • Operating and administering testing schemes for all vehicles, including the supervision of the MOT testing scheme
- • Enforcing the law on vehicles to ensure that they comply with legal standards and regulations
- • Enforcing drivers' hours and licensing requirements
- • Supporting Traffic Commissioners to help them make informed decisions on operator
- licensing, vocational drivers and bus registration requirements
- • Providing training and advice for commercial operators
- • Investigating vehicle accidents, defects and recalls.
For media enquiries about VOSA, please contact: Luke Bigwood on 0117 954 3208 or Rachel Hicks on 0117 954 2619. You can also e-mail press@vosa.gov.uk
Page last updated: 20/10/2010