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Revocation for operator that went back to 'square one'
Page 33
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The maintenance contractor had previously sued over unpaid bills and the annual test pass rate was poor. Mike Jewell reports.
AN OPERATOR whose vehicles had a poor record of annual test failures, largely due to faulty brakes. has lost its licence.
Revoking the licence held by Crewe-based John Billington,North-Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Mark Hinchliffe said that in effect it was a suspension until the authorisation on an associated licence held by his son could be increased to accommodate his sole remaining vehicle.
John Billington last appeared at a public inquiry in August 2000 when vehicle maintenance was also the issue; the Deputy TC said that after seven years the firm was "back to square one".
Vehicle examiner Stephen Anderton said John Billington's licence had been curtailed from four vehicles and four trailers to two vehicles and two trailers at the previous public inquiry. He had carried out a maintenance investigation in December 2006 following the issue of an S-marked prohibition, indicating a serious lapse in maintenance, at the roadside.
One vehicle had been kept and operated from a farm in North Wales owned by John Billington's son Robert. \ ho also employed the driver. Robert Billington had his own 0-licence but the vehicle had displayed John Billington's licence disc. Inspection periods had been extended from six weeks to 16 weeks and records were only available for about a year.
Safety inspections
Anderton told the DTC that the maintenance contractor had not carried out safety inspections for some time, claiming it was owed £1,014.15. The contractor had previously taken John Billington to court over the non-payment of bills.
John Billington told the DTC that the amount owed was not due to be paid until the end of the month. He claimed that the extended inspection intervals occurred when vehicles were off the road. lie added that when he tried to book vehicles in for the safety inspections the contractor was always too busy so a mobile mechanic had been carrying them out at the farm.
He had fallen ill in 2006 and his son had asked if he could operate one of the vehicles. They had never changed the 0-licence over.
Robert Billington said it had not been meant as a long-term situation. He did not have an 0-licence; the farm licence was in the name of his father and his brother Mark, trading as Billington Farms. His father wanted to continue as an owner-driver with one vehicle, doing traction only. ideally his father would like to move his operating centre to the farm.
Revoking the licence with immediate effect, the DTC said these were serious matters and he felt there should only be one licence. Before the farm's national licence authorisation was increased he would need to be satisfied about the maintenance arrangements and persuaded that things were as they should be. •