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Eastern tipper man wins grant
Page 45
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• A Cambridge-based , haulier was "placed on probation" by the Eastern LA, Mr H. E. Robson, on Tuesday. Mr G. W. D. L. Webb, senior partner in G. Webb and Partners, was granted an operator's licence for 34 vehicles and two trailers for two years and one month. Mr Robson said he was not prepared to grant a full application, for an extra 16 vehicles and five trailers to be acquired for the full term, and the manner of his grant was, in effect, putting Mr Webb on probation.
"I fully accept Mr Webb is genuinely trying, and has in some parts succeeded, to improve his maintenance facilities," said the LA, pointing out that he would need further evidence only available through the passage of time, before he could agree to adding extra vehicles to the licence.
In evidence at the inquiry, held at Cambridge, Mr Webb said all the vehicles were tippers carrying road construction materials, muck away, fly ash, sand and ballast and similar materials, and were operated from one of the three depots at St Neots, Ipswich or Willingham.
He said he employed 14 fitters who were generally very proficient, a statement later substantiated in the evidence of three Ministry of Transport vehicle examiners. The vehicles needed more repairs and servicing than those employed in "general run of the mill haulage businesses," he said, adding that, because of the damage site work did to the tyres, as many as 50 spare made-up wheels were available at any time_ The company's full-time accountant was, he said, continually claiming that too much was being spent on vehicle repairs, and advocating that more new vehicles should be purchased. "The trouble is that new vehicles are just as troublesome as old ones," said Mr Webb, adding that there was now a policy to replace vehicles every three years.