Earlier this year L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage was fined £800,000 after being found guilty of moving an abnormal load without proper notification.
In March 2024 West Midlands police stopped a heavy goods vehicle transporting a large excavator and associated plant equipment at the NEC near the M42. A movement notification had been submitted by Lynch but the vehicle was travelling on a different axle from the submitted notification form.
Lynch insisted it was just a clerical error and safety was never compromised and was surprised at the size of the fine.
It appealed and on Friday 4th July hade it reduced to £10,000.
The judge, Her Honour Justice Buckingham, said: “Having reflected on the penalty and with respect to District Judge Qureshi, the fine imposed in the magistrates court was manifestly excessive. Lynch were guilty of only a low level of culpability and harm, if in fact any harm at all had resulted from what was an offence of an entirely technical nature due to human error. The vehicle the subject of the offence was otherwise entirely compliant of relevant road regulations and continued safely on its journey as it was already being escorted by Lynch vehicles and there were no aggravating features to the offence at all. The fine is therefore reduced from £800,000 to £10,000.â€
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