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Firm saves its licence by a whisker
Page 30
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A MANCHESTER operator has escaped with his licence intact, despite two disciplinary inquries within a year. North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Elizabeth Perrett accepted David Clough had taken "huge steps to put things right" after an "appalling prohibition record".
Clough, trading as Middleton Transport, had been called before the DTC sitting in Leeds.Twelve months ago the DTC cut the licence from 13 vehicles and two trailers to nine vehicles and two trailers because of his prohibition record.
Vehicle examiner Michael Baile said that during a maintenance investigation in May a delayed prohibition was issued for an excessively worn spring anchor bracket. The previous inspection record, dated four days previously, had noted slight play in the rear shackles It appeared that Clough was assured by his maintenance contractor that it was not a problem. Loose wheelnuts had been mentioned on three consecutive inspection sheets and it appeared the driver had not spotted it. A second vehicle was given a defect notice for a sticker in the windscreen.
Clough said the vehicle with the loose wheelnuts was a spare vehicle which had not been checked as regularly as the other vehicles.
The DTC said Clough had had a very shaky start, with a "pretty appalling" record of prohibitions. Something had needed to be done and Clough had taken huge steps to put things right.