THREE lorry drivers have been prosecuted and fined hundreds of pounds each after admitting they breached road restrictions in place to protect primary school pupils, North Yorkshire County Council has said.

All three of the drivers were seen ignoring a traffic regulation order, made by the County Council, which stops vehicles with a maximum weight of more than 7.5 tonnes using Highfield Road in Malton at certain times of the day.

Read more: Emergency services attend scene of crash as one person taken to hospital

The regulation is in place to help safeguard children and adults or carers travelling to or from primary schools in the vicinity.

Heavier vehicles should not use the road between 8.30pm and 9am or between 2.45pm and 3.45pm.

However, Scarborough Magistrates Court heard on Thursday May 5 that North Yorkshire standards officers had witnessed three heavy goods vehicles using the road during the restricted period.

David Thomas Ewbank of Meadowfield in Bedale whose vehicle had a maximum weight of 32 tonnes was fined £548 and was ordered to pay costs and victims surcharge.

Martin Wood of High Street, Gilling West in Richmond, whose vehicle had a maximum weight of 44 tonnes was fined £530 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge.

Ashton Ogden of Twin Pike Way Wigginton in York who had a maximum weight of 44 tonnes was fined £699 and ordered to pay cost and a victim surcharge.

Jo Boutflower, head of business and consumer services at North Yorkshire County Council, argued that the restrictions were “well signposted.”

Read more: Family's heartbreak as inquest into death of Darlington 18-year-old takes place

He said: “The restrictions are well signposted and we would ask HGV drivers to respect the weight limit during those very limited school travel times in order to keep our residents, and particularly young children, safe.

“The fines imposed by the court show how seriously the magistrates view these breaches.”

------

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated North Yorkshire Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054