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Firm must pay £2,200 over illegal scaffolding after lorry crash in Willenhall

A company has been ordered to pay more than £2,000 after a lorry crashed into scaffolding outside a Walsall pub which the firm did not have permission to put up.

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The lorry after it had crashed into scaffolding in Willenhall

Beech Scaffolding Services Ltd was prosecuted at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court yesterday and ordered to pay a total of £2,268.66, after pleading guilty to erecting scaffolding on a highway without a permit from Walsall Council, and contrary to section 169 of the Highways Act 1980.

The court heard that on September, 19, 2018 an articulated lorry was driving along the New Road, Willenhall, due to an emergency diversion and as it turned a corner, it crashed with the protruding scaffolding, damaging the vehicle.

The company, whose registered office address is Dominique House, 1 Church Road, Netherton, Dudley, had been contracted in September 2018 to provide the scaffolding for work on the Castle Public House, Willenhall.

The company was fined £1,200 and ordered to pay £948.66 in prosecution costs and £120 victim surcharge.

Circumstances

Jason Beech, company director, apologised to the court and accepted that he had put up the scaffolding without permission and that it was put up incorrectly.

He outlined a number of business and personal circumstances which had resulted in the omission. He also stated that although Beech Scaffolding was a small company, it had been operating for 18 years and complied with working standards and that it was normal practice to obtain the relevant permits for their scaffolding operations.

Steve Pretty, head of planning, engineering and transportation at Walsall Council said: "It is important that we make sure that residents and drivers are safe when using the public roads. Residents and businesses who want to work, or place items on the highway that may lead to an obstruction, e.g. scaffolding and skips, must ensure it is done safely.

"We are always happy to advise them on how to do this. If you are not sure if a licence or permit is needed, always check with us via our website, or by contacting our officers.”

Lorraine Boothman, regulatory services manager, said: “Although the council wants to support businesses and help them comply with the law, our enforcement teams will not hesitate to take robust action, where there are breaches of the legislation that put the public at risk.”

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