Operator fined more than £800,000 after police make ‘abnormal load’ stop near M42

Pictured: L Lynch Plant Hire and Haulage Ltd vehicle stopped in March 2024(Image: West Midlands Police)

A company has been fined more than GBP800,000 after police found one of their vehicles to be carrying an "abnormal load" without proper notification in Solihull[1].

The vehicle, operated by a Hertfordshire based firm, was pulled over by West Midlands Police[2] during a Multi Agency Road Safety Operation (MARSO) at the NEC near the M42.

During the stop, in March 2024, officers examined a heavy goods vehicle transporting a large excavator and associated plant equipment.

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They found that the vehicle was travelling on a different axle they had been told about.

A West Midlands Police spokesperson explained on April 6: "A movement notification had been submitted by the plant hire operator, but the vehicle was travelling on a different axle than we had been told about.

"This affected the vehicle's weight distribution, and gross weight - which meant the notification was invalid.

"The lorry was examined and found to be significantly overweight, as well as longer and wider than allowed.

"Because of the change from the notification, no additional safeguarding measures could be put in place to protect road users from the risks of such an oversized and heavy load.

"Following a thorough investigation by the Commercial Vehicle Unit, officers worked with the Police Led Prosecution team's experienced solicitors who specialise in handling complex road safety, to prosecute L Lynch Plant Hire and Haulage Ltd.