MAGISTRATES have handed out nearly £6,000 in court punishments for lorry drivers breaking the ban on travelling between Malton and Norton.

Eleven drivers admitted taking lorries with a plate weight of between 18 and 44 tonnes across the Norton level crossing which has a 7.5 tonne restriction.

Dan Alexandru Paslea, 38, of Chepstow Court, Darlington, whom York magistrates said had made a "genuine mistake" when leaving Lidl near the crossing after making a delivery there, was fined £120 with £142.75 prosecution costs and a £30 statutory surcharge.

The rest, who all pleaded guilty by letter and did not attend court, must now pay between £332 and £780.75 each.

Some of them claimed that they had not seen the signs warning about the restriction, that the signage was not clear, or that the alternative routes were too narrow for HGVs. Magistrates looked at photos of the signs at a junction near the crossing and said they were clear.

The remaining drivers were: Darren Wayne Dennis Anthony, 46, of Tattersall Drive, Beverley, fined £215 with a £30 statutory surcharge: Philip Charles Davis, 65, of Glebe Street, Castleford, fined £400 with a £40 statutory surcharge. Ian Denham, 55, of Park Road, Colton, Leeds, fined £440 with a £44 statutory surcharge: Colin Frank Imission, 49, formerly of Fitzwilliam Street, Barnsley, fined £288 with a £30 statutory surcharge: Dominik Marek, 35, of Alexandra Road, Grimsby, fined £461 with a £46 statutory surcharge: Sarah Jane McLoughlin, 50, of Snape near Bedale, fined £160 with a £30 statutory surcharge: Andrew Sanderson, 53, of Crown Close, Dewsbury, fined £580 with a £58 statutory surcharge: Nick Smith, of Penny Mews, Waltham, Grimsby, fined £461 with a £46 statutory surcharge: Darren Snook, 40, of Sussex Street, Cleethorpes, fined £415 with a £41 statutory surcharge and Russell Alexander Ward, 49, of Bacon Avenue, Normanton near Castleford was fined £420 with a £42 statutory surcharge..

All drivers were ordered to pay £142. 75 prosecution costs.

Altogether the 11 drivers must pay £3,960 fines, £437 in statutory surcharges and £1570.25 in prosecution costs, totalling £5967.25.