£100 fine for driver who ignored highways officers

AN Oldham driver who used the hard shoulder to avoid a Highways Agency safety block has been fined £100.

John Chapman (61) of Cherry Hinton, Oldham, was convicted at Tameside Magistrates’ Court, Ashton, and also had six penalty points added to his driving licence.

He was ordered to pay £125 costs and a £15 victim fee.

Chapman denied driving on the hard shoulder, failing to stop for Highways Agency traffic officers and driving without consideration for other road users.

But he was convicted after the bench heard that shortly before rush hour on Friday, August 24, last year, a car shed its roof box load on the M67 near Hyde, scattering debris across the carriageway and causing drivers to swerve and brake sharply.

Traffic officers from Milnrow went to the scene and staged a rolling road block to hold back the traffic and retrieve the debris.

But Chapman was seen using the hard shoulder to pass the road block.

He swerved around three children and a woman from the car which had shed its load who were on the hard shoulder.

Chapman headed towards the officer working in the road. When he stopped they took his details and reported him to the police.

The Highways Agency welcomed yesterday’s conviction which is the seventh similar case in Greater Manchester.

Divisional director David Grunwell said: “We hope this case reminds all drivers that it is an offence to ignore the instructions of traffic officers.”