A tractor hauling an excavator on a low-loader was recently stopped by An Garda Siochana for being overweight and using ‘green’ diesel for commercial purposes.

The tractor was stopped by Gardai yesterday as part of a joint operation between the Cork City Divisional Roads Policing Unit and the Road Safety Authority of Ireland.

In a post on the Garda Siochana – Cork, Kerry and Limerick – Southern Region Facebook page, it was outlined that the excavator in question was loaded on a trailer that wasn’t suitable to carry it.

Gardai also added that the overhang out the back was over-regulation and that the load was overweight.

As well as this, Gardai explained that the tractor pulling the load was operating on ‘green’ or agricultural diesel, which is “not allowed for commercial purposes”.

It is understood that the tractor and trailer were grounded by Gardai, until a proper trailer was found to take the load safely and legally.

RSA

Image source: Garda Siochana – Cork, Kerry and Limerick – Southern Region Facebook page

The tractor was just one of a number of vehicles stopped as part of the joint operation. A number of heavy goods and commercial vehicles were stopped and inspected. The vehicles were tested for weight, driver’s tachograph hours and mechanical defects.

According to the Facebook post, one cement mixer was found to be 6.7t overweight. Meanwhile, a gravel truck was found to be 3t overweight and the driver only had a learner permit for that category of vehicle, Gardai confirmed.

No major infringements of tachograph hours were detected and only minor mechanical defects were found.

The drivers found driving with excessively heavy loads will be issued with fixed-charge penalty notices, while other drivers will have been cautioned in relation to minor offences and given time to rectify same, Gardai concluded.