IC sustains 0-licence by a narrow margin
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The wife of a disqualified haulier nearly lost her Operator's Licence last week when she was questioned over maintenance for the second time in three years. Instead, North Eastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Mark Hinchliffe deleted the sole vehicle specified on Dewsburybased AP Hallows Transport's licence because of its age.
Vehicle examiner Emir Shariff told the inquiry that two immediate and two delayed prohibitions and a variation notice had been issued to Anne Hallows' company since a previous inquiry in January 1998; this indicated there was still a problem with the maintenance system. He added that the vehicle had been poorly prepared for annual tests, and suggested that a greater attention to detail was required. Shariff pointed out that the vehicle had failed its annual test at the first attempt for the past three years.
For Hallows, Gary Hodgson said the maintenance was contracted out, as had been promised at the previous public inquiry. In future the Road Haulage Association would carry out audit checks every three months, and it would train Hallows husband Robert, who drove the vehicle.
Hallows said the truck was G-registered; she promised it would be replaced within 14 days by an M-registered vehicle. The trailers she used were hired in. The vehicle would be roller-brake tested four times a year in between the RHA audit inspections, The Deputy TO commented that at the last inquiry an undertaking had been given that Hallows' husband, who had been disqualified indefinitely from holding an 0-licence in 1997, would have nothing to do with the maintenance of the vehicle. She would have to be very careful that he did not stray into the realms of maintenance when changing a light bulb.