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An Example to be Copied

12th December 1958
Page 38
Page 38, 12th December 1958 — An Example to be Copied
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

I T is curious that the West Midlands should still be• the only traffic area with a maintenance advisory committee set up specifically to help to improve the general. condition of goods vehicles. Its existence may suggest, and figures published by Mr. W. P. James, the West Midland Licensing Authority, may tend to strengthen the belief, that the standard of maintenance in the area is lower than elsewhere. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The members of the Road Haulage Association, Traders Road Transport Association and British Road Services who give their time to the committee's work are performing a valuable service and their efforts well deserve to be copied elsewhere. They have good reason, however, to be disappointed in the high proportion of vehicles prohibited on examination by Ministry of Transport officers in the area.

Checks of vehicles have increased substantially during the—past three years. In 1955-56, 5,589 vehicles were examined and prohibition notices were placed on 55.4 per cent, of them. In the following year, 7,400 examinations resulted in 41.6 per cent. of the vehicles being prohibited, and in 1957-58 the proportion of prohibitions increased slightly to 41.9 per cent., out of a total of 8,068 vehicles checked. The vehicles examined in the West Midlands came from places far outside the area, and the figures of prohibitions must not be regarded as a stigma on local operators.

Mr. James, backed by the maintenance advisory committee, is making a new appeal to operators to improve maintenance. In doing so, he presents a reasoned and reasonable case. He urges, first, the commercial value of a properly maintained vehicle, which is able to earn revenue to its maximum capacity. He points out that maintenance unduly delayed is likely to be more expensive in many ways than work done in good time.

It is only after he has appealed to the good sense of operators to maintain their vehicles properly in their own interests that he points out the possible legal consequences of failing to do so. These include the revocation or suspension of a licence because of frequent convictions or prohibitions, or wilful wrongdoing. It is to be hoped that operators will heed Mr. James' appeal and not compel him to use his legal powers.


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