Dundee City Council has been fined £1,000 after wheels fell off one of its bin lorries and careered in to a parked car.
Two of the truck’s wheels came off as it drove down Balgowan Avenue in Kirkton last October, causing chaos and £3,000 worth of damage to the car.
The council’s solicitor told a court today that the lorry’s driver who is the subject of an internal investigation had not fully checked the vehicle and that measures were in place to ensure a similar incident could not happen again.
The council admitted permitting driver David Boath to use a lorry which was in such a condition that it involved a danger of injury to any person in that the two wheels fitted were not securely fitted on October 23. As a result the wheels came off and travelled in an uncontrolled way along the carriageway and one of them struck a car causing damage.
The city’s Justice of the Peace Court was told that the vehicle was inspected by the driver at 7.30am but a full check could not be carried out due to poor light.
Two witnesses subsequently saw the nearside wheel come off in Balgowan Avenue and 150 metres later the second wheel came loose and collided with a parked car.
Anne McIlmoyle, defending, said the vehicle underwent a routine eight-week check on October 5 and following repairs that required the rear wheels to be removed the lorry was signed off as roadworthy on October 17.
Ms McIlmoyle said: “It is clear there was a failure of systems. Had all procedures been followed it is extremely unlikely this incident would have occurred.”
She said Mr Boath was the subject of an internal investigation and disciplinary process.
“Dundee City Council takes this issue very seriously,” she said.
Fining the authority £1,000, Justice of the Peace Frank Buchan said: “This is a serious case but you have demonstrated new procedures are now in place for this not to happen again.”
A council spokesman said: “Dundee City Council pled guilty when the case was called last week. The council’s plea in mitigation was presented to the court before sentencing and the council has no further comment to make.”