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AB FREIGHT
Page 22
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Maintenance failed: staff difficulties
BECAUSE he was not satisfied that F. Hansom and Sons of Great Harwood, Lancashire, could cope satisfactorily with additional vehicles, North Western DLA John Lebin refused the company's application to add five vehicles and 13 trailers.
At a Manchester public enquiry last week, a vehicle examiner said that he had carried out a fleet check of six vehicles and five trailers which resulted in four prohibitions, three of which were immediate, and two defect notices.
When he asked for inspection records, it was said none had been kept because of staff difficulties. The standard of maintenance was very mixed and the arrangements could not be regarded as satisfactory.
Two months prior to the check, the company had been sent a warning letter regarding a prohibition placed on a trailer; since the investigation two further prohibitions had been issued against a vehicle and trailer.
Both premises and staff were adequate theoretically but it was not, working out in practice.
G. Hansom, a director, said that one of the vehicles prohibited at the fleet inspection was off the road for repair.
It was admitted that records were not up to the standards required by the Department but there were servicing records.
The examiner had painted a very black picture and did not say that the newer vehicles in the fleet were in excellent condition.
Inspections were now carried out every four weeks and a new £10,000 workshop was under consideration.
The DLA said it was a fairly bleak picture with the end product lacking in quality. The company had taken the advice given and produced samples of the new recording system but it was early days yet.
In his view there was no evidence that it could cope satisfactorily with additional vehicles.