One tipper suspension for confident haulier
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• A Manchester haulier received a partial licence suspension under Section 69 in Manchester on Monday.
Giving evidence on behalf of the DoE, Mr Roy Barnes, vehicle examiner, told the North Western LA, Mr C. R. Hodgson, that when he telephoned the operator, Mr D. Gill, trading as D. Gill and Co, to make an appointment to inspect the three authorized tippers he was told to call round first thing in the morning.
This, said Mr Barnes, gave him the impression that Mr Gill believed his vehicles to be in a satisfactory condition — most operators usually stalled for time in order to carry out needed repairs.
On inspecting the vehicles, Mr Barnes said that despite Mr Gill's apparent belief to the contrary their condition was generally poor. All three received defect and prohibition notices — one immediate and tw.o delayed — in respect to a total of 29 defects. The examiner went on to say that Mr Gill relied on the services of a part-time mechanic to carry out all inspections and repairs and he added that he felt that the drivers of the tippers had failed in not notifying the vehicle defects.
The LA was also taking into consideration a number of magistrates' convictiorm recorded against Mr Gill, who was no1 present at the inquiry. These included convictions relating to worn tyres and over loading offences. The LA said: "He is obviously not a satisfactory operator," and decided to curtail his licence by suspending one Ford tipper for a period of twc months from September 24.