New VOSA powers will prosecute more overloads 01 February 2011

An increase in the number of vehicles caught running above their gross or axle weight limits could result from powers recently granted to VOSA.

Axle weighing specialist Axtec points out that from April VOSA officers will be authorised to stop vehicles without a police presence.

Keith Gresham, Axtec managing director, believes this is likely to lead to more vehicles being stopped, which will mean more overload offences coming to light.

"Overloading a vehicle isn't necessarily about a deliberate breach of the law," he says. "In many cases the overload can be inadvertent and a vehicle can be within its gross permitted weight yet still be over its weight on an individual axle."

Gresham points to the problem with multi drop operations, which can cause weight to be transferred to the front axle, as the load is progressively removed from the back of the truck.

Nevertheless, the consequences for both operator and driver can be serious. "They range from points on the driver's licence to heavy fines, not to mention the cost of calling out a second vehicle, if part of the load has to be transhipped, and upsetting customers because deliveries are delayed," says Gresham.

"And then there's the question of an automatic notification of the offence to the Traffic Commissioner. The black marks can add up and, if a pattern of disregard for the rules starts to emerge, this can lead to curtailment or even revocation of an operator's licence," he warns.

Gresham's advice: "Fit an axle weight indicator to the vehicle and the driver will always know exactly what the load state of his vehicle is."

Unsurprisingly, he suggests Axtec's On Board system, which uses a simple traffic light colour system to warn of likely overloads on any air-suspended or steel-sprung two or three-axle rigid vehicle, from light vans up to 26 tonne 6x2 trucks with lift or trailing axles.

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Axle Weight Technology Ltd

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