Dperatoes chance
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.LNESS is no excuse for psv not being properly maintained said e chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners, Roy atchings, when they considered the possible revocation or susmsion of the 18 psv licences held by Blackburn operator RibblesIle Coachways Ltd.
The Commissioners had been Id that things had gone wrong ving to the ill health of the mpany's two directors, Arthur d Cecil Bolton.
Vehicle examiner Robert ewart said that between Janry and November, 1979, six spension notices had been aced on the company's hides.
In April he suspended a hide during its annual test, d in September a spot-check two vehicles resulted in imcliate suspensions on both. ring a fleet check, he exaned seven vehicles, imposing a immediate suspensions and advisory defect notices.
Evidence of suspensions imsed up to 1978 was given by iicle examiner Norman Jack1. He said the garage was ge enough and the facilities uld be adequate if properly ianised. The foreman was the y time served fitter, the other ) not being skilled so far as he w. that advice had since been taken from the Freight Transport Association, the vehicles brought up to standard, and additional skilled staff taken on.
Alan Jones, Ribblesdale's general manager, said he had been appointed on November 25 and given a free hand by the two directors.
Mr Hutchings commented that Mr Jones had been brought in at rather a late stage to try to rescue the company.
Cecil Bolton said part of the problem had been a lack of liai son between the traffic manager, the maintenance staff and the drivers.
Reserving decision until May, '1981, when the company will have to seek a psv operator's licence, Mr Hutchings said the Commissioners had very much taken into account that there was virtually a new management, and had decided to give that management a chance to prove itself.
The first of the company's psv licences to come up for renewal was due in May, 1981. Under the transitional provisions for the new licensing system, that application would be treated as an application for an operator's licence.