HGV drivers breaching the weight limit on one of the oldest bridges over the River Thames in Oxfordshire have been named and shamed.

The two drivers were prosecuted after being caught on cameras used to protect the medieval Newbridge near Standlake, which has an 18-tonne limit.

Oxford Mail:

Newbridge - pic. Bencherlite

In total Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards Service successfully prosecuted four drivers over weight restriction breaches on the county's protected roads.

One was caught breaking a 7.5-tonne limit in Abingdon and another in Church Enstone.

The drivers were fined at Oxford's Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The council says it hopes to send out a 'tough message' to road users that council tax payers should not have to foot the bill for repairs to roads which are not suited to heavy-loaded traffic.

The HGV drivers prosecuted were:

Stephen Barnes (Reading) - Newbridge total fine, costs and victim surcharge = £480

Wlodzimierz Rowny (Swindon) - Newbridge total fine, costs and victim surcharge = £330

Neil Weller (Bridgend) - Appleford total fine, costs and victim surcharge = £470

Shane Norris (Hull)- Church Enstone total fine, costs and victim surcharge = £350

All offences took place in late 2017 and early 2018.

The Newbridge prosecutions are the first to be brought following the installation of a new £20,000 ANPR camera system at the Maybush Pub in September last year.

Oxford Mail:

Trading standards said drivers and vehicle operators have had enough time to get used to the camera system and the long-standing restriction on the historic bridge after initially sending out written warnings to drivers breaching the weight limit. 

Since September 2018 trading standards has sent out 466 warning letters and is actively investigating several offences.

The number of overweight vehicles using the bridge over the River Thames has fallen from a high point of 90 a month last September to a low of 24 vehicles monthly in May this year, showing that this approach is having a real and beneficial effect.

A further 13 drivers are awaiting trial.

The offences in Church Enstone and Appleford were discovered when members of the public reported seeing the HGVs driving through the 7.5 tonne weight limit areas.

Investigation by trading standards officers showed that the vehicles had no legitimate reason to be on those roads.