Plymouth Magistrates Court have this week handed down a significant penalty to a water user who breached the speed limits within the Cattewater on their power driven vessel.
The defendant was found guilty of navigating without care, caution and reasonable consideration to others, and exceeding the Port speed limits. The recorded speed was close to 40 knots, the speed limit was 8 knots.
The total penalty imposed by the court was over £4000.
Captain Richard Allan, Chief Executive and Harbour Master said:
“We are really pleased with the result in court today. Local regulations are there to increase the safety of all water users within the Port. Whilst we welcome responsible water users, anyone that blatantly flouts the regulations, putting themselves, their passengers and others at severe risk of harm will face enforcement action by the Port Authority. Not only was the vessel travelling at over four times the speed limit, the vessel was navigating on the wrong side of the river, passed dangerously close to a moored merchant vessel and put numerous other leisure users at risk from the excess wake.”
The Chairman of the Bench, when summarising stated that the “Bench takes this matter very seriously. ‘Reckless’ would be a polite way to describe 38 knots. It is outrageous behaviour.”
Stock image used.
