Carey’s plant transport licence halved after excavator knocked off trailer

Carey London’s plant transport vehicle licence allowance has been halved after one of its drivers struck a bridge, resulting in an eight-tonne excavator falling off a trailer.

The plant was being transported on the back of a Carey trailer when it collided with a bridge on the A205 Upper Richmond Road in London, outside East Putney Tube station, on the morning of 21 October 2024.

The collision resulted in the excavator being knocked off the trailer bed onto the adjacent footpath. No one was injured.

A public inquiry by the Traffic Commissioner for the East of England heard that the driver had seen the bridge height of 4.5m but proceeded to pass under it at speed. 

It also heard that he had measured the height of the load using a tape measure instead of a measuring stick and had not chained down the excavator.

The driver’s goods vehicle licence was suspended for two months. Carey’s directors indicated that he would continue to be employed in a more minor role during the suspension.

Carey’s operator’s licence was cut by half to three vehicles.

Commissioner Richard Turfitt said: “A professional driver is not expected to allow lapses of attention as they are in charge of vehicles which are, by their very nature and size, dangerous. The decision to drive in that state presents an unacceptable risk and the decision-making is not indicative of a professional driver.

“Whilst safety management is often miscategorised as an antidote to common sense, all operators need to appreciate that risk assessment is not simply a matter of waiting for a danger to materialise, to then take action after the event. The outcome of this incident could have been truly catastrophic.

“Effective control measures should prevent an incident from occurring, protecting others from injury, drivers from the lasting impact, the reputation of the business and its liabilities. Compliance should make good business sense to any reputable operator.”