The size of the fine has stunned the company which is planning an appeal after what it described as a “clerical error”.

The hire firm was charged as part of Operation Nightstare by the West Midlands Police Commercial Vehicle Unit.

In March 2024 at the NEC near the M42, officers stopped a heavy goods vehicle transporting a large excavator and associated plant equipment.

A movement notification had been submitted by the plant hire operator, but the vehicle was travelling on a different axle than the one detailed.

This affected the vehicle’s weight distribution, and gross weight – which meant the notification was invalid.

The lorry was examined and found to be significantly overweight, as well as longer and wider than allowed.

Because of the change from the notification, no additional safeguarding measures could be put in place to protect road users from the risks of such an oversized and heavy load.

Following a thorough investigation by the Commercial Vehicle Unit he company was convicted of three separate offences at court and fined £800,000.

It was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 and costs of £130.

L Lynch joint managing director Rob Lynch said: “We are strong supporters of vehicle safety and are still very surprised with the size of the fine, which is disproportionately high considering the clerical error in specifying the wrong vehicle registration mark.

“Had the vehicle used been specified on the movement order (as it had in the past, on the very same route with the very same load) it would have been entirely legal, with very low culpability and no risk of harm to persons or the environment. 

“Our legal team had expected a fine of between £7k and £25k for this offence. An appeal against the size of fine is underway which we hope will be successful.

 “A clerical error led to an invalid movement notification, but our systems do not allow a vehicle to carry an unsafe load, so safety was never compromised.”

Superintendent Gareth Mason, Head of Roads Policing for West Midlands Police, said: “Road safety is a priority for West Midlands Police and this case sends a clear message: if you breach abnormal load legislation and put the public at risk, we will take action.

“When firms don’t follow proper procedures, it’s not just a technicality – it’s a serious safety risk.

“That’s why we work closely with partner agencies to carry out targeted enforcement operations, educate industry partners, and prosecute offenders where necessary , as the consequences of getting it wrong can be catastrophic.”