Here’s a quick round up of what’s in the news this week;
Tachograph Offences
Two hauliers have been fined for tachograph offences following targeted investigations by local police forces. Patrick Bradley of Northern Ireland has been fined a total of £1,500 following prosecution brought by the Driver and Vehicle Agency. Enforcement officers conducted an investigation in to Mr Bradley’s vehicles, noting several offences under the Passenger and Goods Vehicles (Recording Equipment) Regulations (NI) 1996 and the Road Traffic (NI) Order 1981. Mr Bradley was fined £100 for each of the 15 offences brought against him.
Tachograph Fraud
In Scotland, Patrick Boyle and his son, Mark, have been ordered to pay back the £1.7 million they illegally made from tachograph scams. Both were jailed in 2011 by Carlisle’s Crown Court after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy. They have both been given six months to pay back the full amount they received or serve further prison sentences. All fifteen of the drivers who worked for Boyle Transport in Newry received suspended sentences after they pleaded guilty to making false tacho records, and have been ordered to carry out unpaid community work. The case was the result of a joint operation between Cumbria Police and VOSA following the discovery that vehicles stopped by officers had been tampered with. Patrick and Mark Boyle have now completed their sentences and returned to Carlisle Crown Court yesterday for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Parking Tickets
London based haulage company, EMT Logistics, says it has lost £100,000 worth of business with their local council during a two year dispute over parking tickets. The councils ticketing policy on the industrial park has caused multiple tickets being given for the LGVs outside the business, parked for only a few minutes at a time says Director, Michael Mehmet. The company is now seeking legal advice.