Examiner 'amazed' at vehicle defects
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AMINISTRY vehicle examiner told public inquiry at Birmingham or Monday that he was amazed that 01 drivers of some of the vehicles belongim to Ten Acres and Stirchley Co-operativr Society Ltd. had been able to drive then without having an accident.
The West Midland Licensing Authority Mr. J. Else, considering the renetval of thr Society's C licence and possible revocatior and suspension, said that during a flee inspection last May, 65 of the 146 vehicle! seen had immediate prohibitions issued or them and 46 had delayed stops.
Mr. Else ordered that 56 vehicles shoult be suspended, 14 each week for one month Granting the renewal of the Society's 144 vehicle licence, the LA said he could no allow the matter to go unpunished. Then had been lack of maintenance, lack o replacement and general lack of control ove a period of years.
Mr. Else emphasized that his remark: were no reflection on Mr. F. Allsopp, whc had been appointed transport manager 1:0, the applicants in March and had started tc take steps to deal with the situation by tin time the fleet inspection took place in May Earlier, Mr. Else had told the inquiry tha sample checks were made on the Society'! vehicles last September and October. examiners were not satisfied. They wen told that the practice had been for fin petrol pump attendant to check over tin vehicles when they were refuelled and tht drivers were expected to report faults Facilities for repairs and maintenanc( were good, but there was no system o preventive maintenance in force..
Vehicle examiner Mr. W. Gibson saic that some of the vehicles were in ar appalling condition. No repair or mainten ance record had been kept and it ww possible for a new vehicle to go into tin fleet and not be looked at for a year.
The witness reported that there hac been a marked change in the arrangement! since May. Twenty vehicles had beer scrapped and a further 20 earmarked for very early replacement.
Three other C-licence operators wert dealt with. An application by Groutage anc Ingram Ltd., of Water Orton, for a three vehicle C licence, subject to the surrende, of a similar licence held by partnership o the same name, was refused because two o the vehicles listed were prohibited. One wa: granted.
Tan Sad Ltd., of Tipton, had one vehicli suspended for one month and Newtowr Engineering and Construction (Birming ham) Ltd. had one vehicle suspended fo 14 days.