'69 evidence was relevant to application
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• A section 69 inquiry into the running of a Lowestoft operator, Mr John Stoddart, was not proceeded with by the Eastern LA last week but the evidence was relevant to an application for six vehicles and four trailers by Lowestoft Crane Hire Ltd. This was because Mr Stoddart was now managing director of Lowestoft Crane Hire and sought to carry on much the same business as he had done under his own name.
A traffic examiner told the LA that while trading under his own name Mr Stodd art had been convicted a number of times, together with some of his drivers, for hours and records offences. This situation was continued in • June when Mr Stoddart was trading as Lowestoft Crane Hire.
A visit by a vehicle examiner in June. when three vehicles were inspected, had resulted in the issue of one immediate and one delayed GV9. There had been no records since December 1971 and the vehicle examiner thought that the defects he had found would have shown up if the vehicles had been properly inspected.
In his evidence Mr Stoddart explained that he had many staff problems and when on his own had been unable to cope with the paperwork. A clerk was now employed to look after this. Inspection records had been entrusted to a fitter and when he had left the company Mr Stoddart had been unable to find any records.
The LA. Mr H. E. Robson, decided to grant a licence to the company for 18 months. The LA thought that there had certainly been slackness on the part of Mr Stoddart but hoped that this was now the end of the troubles.