Fleet News | A record-breaking fine has been imposed on a fleet for repeated overloading offences, following a hearing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court.
Starling Distribution Services was ordered to pay £759,000, the biggest fine being issued ever for a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) prosecution, after being convicted of overloading and defective vehicle offences for its milk delivery service.
Despite the company’s vehicles previously being found overloaded or with dangerous defects on multiple occasions, the court heard it continued to operate in a dangerous manner.
Starling Distribution Services was first prosecuted as part of DVSA’s Operation Milkman back in August 2023, where they were fined £204,660.
Despite this significant fine, the company continued to re-offend, leading to further convictions in November 2023 and August 2024, before this latest court appearance.