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Coach operator's driving ban cut
Page 47
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• A former Harlow coach proprietor, Gerald St. Clair Goodger, ran his business on a shoestring and was now "on the precipice of bankruptcy", Essex Quarter Sessions at Chelmsford was told on Tuesday.
The court was hearing the appeal by Mr. Goodger, of Harlow, against a sentence imposed by Harlow magistrates for three offences of using motor vehicles with defective
parts (CM August 8).
Fines totalling £45 were not altered but an 18-month driving ban was varied to six months.
It was said in court that Goodger owned Silver City Coaches and had contracts with Wssex County Council to carry children and adults to and from training centres in the Harlow area. Inspections of two vehicles revealed a number of defects involving steering, braking, tyre wear and other matters.
Mr. Scott Baker, for Goodger, said the offences were serious, particularly as some of the people carried were invalids. He had built up the business over four years, but was hopelessly unable to run it and got into a sad financial state. Eventually, with debts totalling £2,500, he got rid of the business.
Mr. John Davidson, of Harlow, a member of Essex County Council, said Goodger was the last person on earth who should run a business on his own. "He has been running his business on a shoestring." he said.
The chairman, Mr Peter Greenwood, said: "The court has heard of these coaches being used to carry children when tyres and steering were in an appalling condition. We have to consider the running of coaches which were in an exceedingly dangerous condition."
Mr. George S. Brown, of Little Heath, Hatfield Heath, said he now employed Goodger as a driver in connection with his (witness's) business of Riverway Coaches.
The Chairman said he hoped the reduction in the period of disqualification would enable Goodger to continue his employment.
He added: "The court will make no order for costs. He is in the most appalling financial difficulty and we are not going to add to it."