Dairy company fined for overloaded milk floats
A dairy firm in Wolverhampton has been fined nearly £9,000 after its milk floats were found to be "dangerously" overloaded.
A dairy firm in Wolverhampton has been fined nearly £9,000 after its milk floats were found to be "dangerously" overloaded.
Lorries owned by JN Dairies, in Millfields Road, overloaded by up to 81 per cent, were stopped by police and trading standards officers. Vehicles carrying more than 50 per cent above their compulsory weight limit are classed as dangerous. The case at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court comes as a second blow for the company.
The firm has already spent about £500,000 battling Wolverhampton-based Johal Dairies, which is accused of paying a sacked JN Dairies milkman £40,000 to steal confidential customer information and snatch trade. That case is set to go to London's Court of Appeal next month.
Mrs Jackie Bramley, prosecuting on behalf of Wolverhampton City Council at the magistrates court yesterday, said five delivery vehicles from the dairy were stopped and weighed between June and September last year.
She said: "Overloading a vehicle reduces its stability and affects the handling, steering, stopping distances, suspension and braking. All vehicles have a compulsory weight limit and if this is exceeded by more than 50 per cent the vehicle is dangerous."
The five JN Dairies vehicles, which were on their way to deliveries in Coseley, Ettingshall, Wolverhampton and Nottingham, were between nine and 81 per cent overloaded.
Mr David Niven, defending, said bosses were unaware the lorries were being over-filled and that night-time loaders had since been severely reprimanded. He said: "The company was mortified when this came to light and immediately implemented a number of changes, including stripping out delivery vehicles to reduce extra weight."
Mr Niven added the firm, which turned over £12 million last year, was struggling to survive during its legal battle with Johal Dairies.
JN Dairies, which employees 40 staff, pleaded guilty to 14 charges including permitting use of a vehicle exceeding the plated weight, and permitting use of a motor vehicle with load likely to cause danger of injury. It was fined a total of £8,800 plus £735 in costs, including a victim surcharge.
