Front-heavy trailer load
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• Failure by BOC staff to distribute a load evenly on a semi-trailer has cost a Barnsley haulage company and one of its drivers1410 in fines and costs.
JDF Transport & Warehousing and driver Andrew Collins admitted overloading the second axle of a 38-tanner when they appeared before Middleton, Manchester, magistrates.
Traffic examiner Duncan Pimblott said when the artic was check-weighed on a dynamic axle weighbridge, the second axle was found to be 1,324kg (12.6%) over its permitted weight.
Defending, Andrew Woolfall said Collins had driven his tractor to 130C's Barnsley depot to collect a semi-trailer loaded by depot staff. The delivery note gave a weight of 21,720kg, which was within the permitted train weight of the outfit. He saw noth
ing untoward—he was unaware that heavier pallets were at the front. Woolfall said it was a problem that could only be detected on a dynamic axle weigher.
Drawing the court's attention to the High Court's ruling that an absolute discharge was appropriate where defendants were morally blameless for offences of absolute liability such as over
loading, Woolfall produced cuttings of reports in Commercial Motor of cases where that principle had been followed.