Driver fined after oil spillage

A TWO-mile oil spill in Great Bardfield cost a driver three points on his licence and a fixed penalty fine, last Wednesday afternoon when a container full of oil that he was transporting caused a mass oil slick. The Braintree man, who works for a firm of

A TWO-mile oil spill in Great Bardfield cost a driver three points on his licence and a fixed penalty fine, last Wednesday afternoon when a container full of oil that he was transporting caused a mass oil slick.

The Braintree man, who works for a firm of millers, hit the brakes of his Ford pick-up truck on Bridge Road Great Bardfield when the containing full of soya oil became unsecure and caused a spill.

Essex Police, fire and highway services were all called to the scene at 2.30pm.

The road was closed and the expensive clean-up operation, required two tippers, a gritter lorry, 10 tonnes of sand and two fire appliances.

Mr William Edwards, who witnessed the incident said: "The oil spilled all over the road and as it was a vegetable soya oil, it left a horrible lingering smell that was around for days."

Bridge Road was not re-opened until the road surface had been made safe for drivers to use again five hours later police spokesman said: "The driver of the pickup truck was given a fixed penalty £60 fine for not technically having a secured load.

"The spillage made the road extremely dangerous and making it safe again was a costly operation.