A HGV driver was given on-the-spot fines totalling £900 after he tried to falsify his drivers’ hours record.

The driver was stopped on 13 December during routine checks on HGVs  on the M11.

VOSA examiners found that a magnet had been used to interfere with vehicle’s digital tachograph and contacted the police. The digital tachograph is used to record the drivers’ hours on the road.

The Police commercial vehicle unit carried out tests on the tachograph. They found it had stopped and showed that the driver was resting.

The vehicle was impounded whilst the police carried out their investigations. In addition to the fines, the driver was given a 45-hour prohibition from the roads and paid an £80 release fee when the prohibition expired on Sunday.

PC Al Cuthbertson, of the commercial vehicle unit, said: “All heavy goods vehicles must be fitted with a tachograph by law to ensure that drivers do not exceed the legal maximum number of hours at the wheel and to ensure that they take adequate rest breaks.

“Some drivers have been tempted to use magnets to stop tachos to give the impression that they’re resting when in reality they continue driving, possibly to meet deadlines for reaching ferries or their destinations.

“This is an extremely dangerous practice as long hours mean tired drivers and tired drivers have killed or seriously injured other road users. Serious collisions involving tired drivers also cause travel disruption to the road network.”