A Haverfordwest contractor has been fined after mud on the road resulted in treacherous conditions.

Neil Jones, of Haven Road, has been ordered to pay £630 after admitting depositing mud on the B4341 at Portfield Gate, Haverfordwest, causing a highway user to be injured or endangered.

Jones, 54, did not appear at his hearing at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Wednesday, July 17, but entered a guilty plea through his solicitor Aled Owen, who explained Jones was unable to attend due to work.

Sian Vaughan, prosecuting, said a section of the B4341 was found to have a large amount of mud when police attended at 1.30pm on January 10, following an accident.

“It covered both lanes and extended over a quarter of a mile. The mud was thick and the road conditions were treacherous.”

She added that farmer Martin Smith attended shortly afterwards and appeared to show ‘very little concern’ about the state of the road, which had a 60mph speed limit.

A similar charge was dropped against Mr Smith in May.

Mr Owen said Jones, a local agricultural contractor with a good reputation, worked to industry standards and NFU guidelines.

He had been sub-contracted to move slurry from the farm to be spread on fields, which Mr Owen added was ‘not an easy operation’.

The court heard that a bowser was being used to clear the road every hour, ‘mud on road’ signs were displayed and vehicles were being cleaned down on the farm.

“He was doing everything possible to avoid mud being taken on to the road.”

Mr Owen added that the accident was not a direct result of the driver skidding.

“The lady had not taken account of people slowing down in that area.”

The court heard that the crashed car had to be written off, and an occupant suffered a back injury.

Magistrates fined Jones £495 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £50 surcharge.