Drivers Fined for Weight Restriction Breaches

All five of the  prosecutions resulted from public reports to Oxfordshire County Council whose Trading Standards are currently investigating a further 50 offences.

The offences were committed at Enstone (where local residents had been conducting a monitoring exercise), one at Islip, and one at Charlbury ( where there is a weak bridge).  All five defendants pleaded guilty by post.

 The Court gave the following fines:

Marcie J Mieczyslaw Gruba, 35, Burton on Trent (44 tonne, in contravention of the 7.5 tonne limit at Enstone) – date of the offence 16/07/2015

£293 Fine

£130 Costs

£29 Victim Surcharge

Total £452

Richard Paul Harrison, 35, Bolton Le Sands, Carnforth (44 tonne, in contravention of the 7.5 tonne limit at Enstone) – date of the offence 14/07/2015

£390 Fine

£130 Costs

£39 Victim Surcharge

Total £559

Barry Stapleton, 66, Chipping Norton (26 tonne, in contravention of the 7.5 tonne limit at Enstone) – date of the offence 14/07/2015

£293 Fine

£130 Costs

£29 Victim Surcharge

Total £452

Martin Peter Cox, 33, Sheerness, Kent (44 tonne, in contravention of the 7.5 tonne limit at Islip) – date of the offence 29/06/2015

£250 Fine

£130 Costs

£25 Victim Surcharge

Total £405

James McCue, 51, Chester Le Street, County Durham (31 tonne, in contravention of the 7.5 tonne weak bridge limit at Charlbury) – date of the offence 28/05/2015

£400 Fine

£130 Costs

£40 Victim Surcharge

Total £570

Jody Kerman Trading Standards Operations Manager said:  "Weight restrictions are there for very good reasons, either to protect bridges that have become structurally weakened, or because the use of particular roads by heavy goods vehicles is not suitable.

“It may be tempting for drivers to ignore such regulations for a short-cut, but by doing so they are potentially putting other road users or roads and bridges at risk.

"It is clear, from the number of reports from local communities, that vehicles breaking weight restrictions are a real concern.  This type of enforcement supports local communities as it targets those who ignore the rules and regulations which the vast majority of road users, including local businesses, adhere to."

Public reports are best made via our website, where there is also guidance on what to look out for, and the information to obtain at the time.  We conduct pro-active checks at a number of locations across the county, and investigate all public reports received. https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/weight-restriction-orders