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No-show skip firm loses 0-licence
Page 34
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A SKIP OPERATOR who failed to turn up at a public inquiry has had his five-vehicle licence revoked because of concern over poor vehicle maintenance and evidence that he may not he using his authorised operating centre.
The 0-licence, held by Birmingham-based Alan Greathurst, trading as Mr Skip, was revoked with immediate effect by West Midland Deputy Traffic Commissioner Roger Seymour. He said the roadworthiness of the skip trucks was a matter of continuing concern and noted that Greathurst had ignored a request to produce financial evidence, According to vehicle examiner Adrian Thomas, since August 2004 the firm's vehicles had attracted four roadside prohibitions and two variation notices.There was a 90% failure rate at annual test, and Thomas had been asked to carry out a maintenance investigation following an S-marked prohibition issued in April for a seized load-sensing valve, together with a drivers' hours prohibition for a failure to produce tachograph records.
Thomas said he'd had difficulty in getting hold of Greathurst and when he did, the operator said he had vacated his authorised operating centre and had bought another skip-hire firm, which would be merged with his existing business to form a new company.
However, Thomas did not know where Greathurst was operating from, nor which company he planned to learn up with.
Revoking the licence, the DTC said the original operating centre had clearly been vacated some time ago. He was satisfied there had been prohibition notices that gave particular cause for concern as they covered 11 items— including six involving brakes. Greathurst had also failed to convince the arc that he was of adequate financial standing.