Stolen case delays hearing
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Llanelii-based Samuel Burton's disciplinary hearing was adjourned for a fortnight after he reported that his briefcase had been stolen half an hour before the public inquiry. Burton, who trades as Burton's Hire, appeared before Welsh Deputy Traffic Commissioner Alan Jenkins at a Neath disciplinary inquiry for having "an appallingly bad record over a short space of time".
Traffic examiner Rhian Pritchard told the inquiry Burton had been using trailers even though there was no authorisation for trailers on his licence.
He also had several convictions for offences including the use of an untaxed vehicle, unauthorised use, no test certificate on a trailer, using a trailer in a dangerous condition, and failing to produce tachograph charts which had allegedly been Burton had also been convicted of one offence of dishonestly receiving stolen sheets for a trailer.
Vehicle examiner Keith John said that 19 prohibitions had been issued to Burton's vehicles since the licence was granted in August 1999. These included four immediate prohi bitions, three delayed, and four which were endorsed as showing a significant maintenance failure. A further 10 variation notices had been issued to Burton's vehicles when they were presented for clearance.
"The imposition of four Smarked prohibitions [showing a serious maintenance failure] indicates a failure to control maintenance systems and brings into question the standard of maintenance and other repairs carried out," said John.
Burton told the Deputy IC that he had copies of the stolen documents at his home in Llanelli.
He admitted that one of his vehicles was not parked at the operating centre all the time; instead it was parked at the Dyfed Steels yard in Llanelli, near its driver's home.
Asked about an enforcement notice served on him by Carmarthenshire County Coun cil regarding trucks that had been seen outside his home, Burton said that none were parked there overnight, but he would often park there for a short period while he "popped in for tea", which the council said was acceptable.
He added that sometimes, one of the drivers would wash his vehicle at the back.
Asked about the use of a vehicle that was not specified on the licence, Burton said that he had made an application for the vehicle to be included on the licence and this had been verbally agreed to by the Traffic Area Office.
Adjourning the hearing, and suspending the licence in the meantime until each vehicle had passed its annual test, the Deputy IC said: I feel it would be unfair of me to come to a final decision today without you producing your documents."