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Bogus maintenance records lead to licence revocation
Page 33
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Deputy IC takes a dim view of operator who attempted to deceive a Public Inquiry with maintenance records he completed himself.
A COUNTY DURHAM firm has lost its licence after its director admitted that its safety records were a "total sham". Eric and Jan icu Swindells. trading as LVR Transport of Newton Aycliffe. Co Durham were found by NorthEastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Patrick Mulvenna to have falsified safety records. He revoked their licence for four vehicles and four trailers from the beginning of March.
Vehicle examiner Geoffrey Flatters said a vehicle stopped in a spot check on 5 August was not displaying an 0-licence identity disc. He carried out a maintenance investigation on 16 August. Eric Swindells appeared to be undertaking the safety inspections rather than the nominated maintenance contractor.
Inspection records also seemed to show that more vehicles and trailers were being operated than were authorised on the licence. The firm had been convicted of this previously, being fined £500 in July 2005.
Records were questionable
Flatters found sonic of the records questionable — the tachograph records showed the vehicles were elsewhere at the time of the inspection. Also, the firm was using an additional unauthorised parking area.
Swindells said he had been unsatisfied with the original maintenance contractor, who had taken on too much work, Swindells had been helping the contractor to maintain the vehicles and trailers because things were not getting done. In March he had been helping to replace a brake chamber when it exploded in his face.As a result he had spent a lot of time in hospital.
On 16 August he had collected the maintenance records from the contractor, who said he had not signed them. Swindells signed them himselEThough details on the forms were wrong, such as some odometer readings and some dates, he said they were not "totally bogus".
The DTC pointed out that the inspection records had been completed in Swindells handwriting. Swindells admitted he had completed them two or three weeks after the inspections and he had not got the contractor to sign them at the time. He had taken the mileages off the driver defect sheets.
When the DTC added that the sheets were all completed in the same pen.Swindells denied they had all been completed on 16 August.
After the DTC said he did not believe that safety inspections had been carried out at the stated intervals. Swindells admitted the inspection records were a -total sham".
The DTC said Swindells had produced bogus forms and had tried to continue the deception during the Public Inquiry..