Firm risks losing licence for dangerous overload
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AN ESSEX CONSTRUCTION firm faces the loss of its licence for overloading a tipper that was said to represent a "danger to the driver and other road users".
Patrick and John Kehoe, and Christopher Davies, the partners in Essex Plant & Demolition, and driver Bobbie Spink pleaded guilty to overloading charges and using a vehicle in a dangerous condition. Barking magistrates have adjourned sentencing until all the defendants can be dealt with at the same time.
Anthony Ostrin. prosecuting for VOSA, said a fouraxle rigid carrying muck was weighed by enforcement officers. It was 6,190kg over its GVVV limit of 32,000kg; an overload of nearly 20%. The rear bogie, rated at 19,000kg, was overloaded by 6,060kg (32%).
Ostrin told the court this would increase the eightlegger's stopping distance. The suspension, steering, tyres,springs. brakes and chassis were not designed to cope with an excess of that magnitude; it was liable to cause danger to the driver and other road users.
Axle overloads directly affected the suspension springs and tyres as well as the mountings of the axle and suspension to the chassis, he added. The longer an overload was imposed on those components, the greater the likelihood of failure.
Defending, Jeremy Fear said the partners had not seen the load because the vehicle was loaded away from base.