Three illegal UK loads cost this haulier its Volvo FH

Leatrans D.O.O. blamed the breaches on a transport planner who failed to follow the cabotage rules. However, the deputy traffic commissioner found that the company had relied too heavily on individual planners and had failed to introduce effective checks, despite becoming aware of an earlier cabotage offence in 2025.

Unless the decision is successfully appealed, DVSA may dispose of the vehicle after 20 August 2026.

Volvo stopped after seven days in Britain

The left-hand-drive Volvo FH was stopped at a DVSA enforcement site in Ewloe, Flintshire, on 1 April. Its driver had entered Britain on 25 March and delivered the incoming international load to Bedford the following day. The vehicle then completed two domestic laden journeys: one ending at Pembroke Dock and another in Middlesex.

Those movements used up the two cabotage operations permitted during the vehicle’s visit to Britain. Nevertheless, records presented by the driver showed that the truck subsequently carried out another three laden journeys between locations in England and Wales between 30 March and 1 April.

DVSA therefore concluded that the Volvo had been used for domestic hire-and-reward work without the necessary authority.

The journey that took place while the truck was stopped — from Holyhead towards Dover — would not itself have breached the rules because the trailer’s ultimate destination appeared to be in the European Union. The three earlier domestic movements were the reason for the impounding.

Operator blamed planner error

Leatrans accepted that the journeys had fallen outside the cabotage rules. It argued, however, that the breaches resulted from a transport planner failing to follow the company’s instructions. The operator said the planner may have been distracted by personal circumstances. Following an internal investigation, he was given a formal warning.

However, the deputy traffic commissioner noted that the work had been allocated on a day-by-day basis. The case therefore involved repeated failures to consider the cabotage rules rather than one isolated planning mistake.

The decision also raised the possibility that the planner had acted deliberately or had been unconcerned about whether the journeys complied with the law.

Previous breach should have triggered stronger action

A major factor in the decision was an earlier incident involving the operator in September 2025. Leatrans said it had not received a subsequent DVSA warning letter, although it accepted that it knew about the earlier cabotage offence and understood that it was serious.

The company responded by providing refresher training to its planners. However, it did not change its quality-control system, introduce additional oversight of UK journey planning or include cabotage compliance in its auditing process.

The commissioner found it likely that the same planner had also been involved in the 2025 incident.

The previous breach should therefore have alerted the company to a weakness in a system that depended almost entirely on individual planners following written instructions, according to the decision.

Training was not enough

Leatrans presented evidence showing that its planners had received instructions and training on cabotage. The commissioner accepted that the material correctly explained the rules. The problem was that the operator had no effective “safety net” to detect a planner repeatedly allocating unlawful domestic work.

The commissioner warned against assuming that a lack of previous enforcement incidents proved that a company’s compliance systems were effective. The absence of earlier problems, the decision said, could be attributable to good fortune rather than good management.

Following the April impounding, Leatrans introduced daily planning meetings and added cabotage compliance to its quality-control process. Drivers were also reportedly instructed to raise concerns about allocated work.

Those changes may reduce the risk of further breaches, but the commissioner said the system remained dependent on individual decision-making and recommended that the operator investigate whether software could prevent non-compliant journeys from being scheduled.

Application to recover truck refused

Leatrans applied for the return of the Volvo, arguing that it had taken steps to prevent both the unlawful use and any future recurrence. That application was refused because the company failed to demonstrate that sufficiently effective preventive measures had been in place before the truck was impounded.

The vehicle has remained in DVSA custody since 1 April. The deputy traffic commissioner directed the agency to dispose of it after the appeal period expires on 20 August 2026.