Faulty weighbridge caused van overload
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• Chipping, Preston-based 3 & B Haulage and one of its drivers have been cleared of overloading the front axle of a van by Stafford magistrates.
PC Julian Houghton said he weighed the 7.5 tonne van, which was loaded with furniture, at the Doxey dynamic axle weighbridge. He found the gross weight to be slightly over, but over by 610kg or 19% on its front axle.
Driver Brian O'Neill said that after part of the load had been put in another vehicle, he noticed on the visual display that the vehicle was one tonne under its permitted gross weight.
John Whalley, the firm's proprietor, said he regularly checked the weight of items of furniture. The items removed weighed no more than 632kg. Some error must have occurred.
Defending, John Backhouse said that it was presumed that a dynamic axle weigher was accurate to within plus or minus 150kg per axle. He argued that these results were shown to be outside the tolerances, so there had to be reasonable doubt about their accuracy.
It is understood the Doxey weighbridge was closed for repair and is now back in service.