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Harfoot loses three
Page 40
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• Suspending three vehicles for six months at a Section 178 inquiry in Cardiff last week, Mr. R. R. Jackson, the South Wales LA. said "This is a very serious matter and I would be failing in my duty if I did not take a serious view of the facts leading up to this inquiry".
Appearing . before the LA were S. Harfoot and Sons Ltd., of Barry, hauliers with depots at Barry, Cardiff, Glyn, Neath and Newport.
Mr. R. S. Chard, for the MoT, said that during the period October 1968 to March 1969 Harfoot and Sons were convicted, following information from the weights and measures department of Glamorgan County Council, for a series of overloading offences; the firm was also convicted for defective tyres.
It was stated that six notices of prohibition had been imposed; three following involvement in accidents, two at roadside checks and one for worn tyres.
Appearing for the company, Mr. Rosser John said Harfoot's had been in existence for 50 years and at present had some 126 vehicles at various depots in South Wales.
Mr. John Harfoot, secretary and director of the company, said the vehicles at Neath were under contract to Sir Lindsay Parkinson and were carrying coal from an opencast site. They were working under extremely difficult conditions. The coal which varied from seam to seam was grab-loaded. In addition, weather conditions had made it difficult to judge loads accurately, he said.
Referring to the convictions for worn and cut tyres, Mr. Harfoot said that on some of the sites the working conditions were difficult. On one occasion, he said, at Bridgend, the vehicle which had a cut rear twin tyre was being run into the depot empty when it was stopped by the police.
He stated that during 12 months £45,000 had been spent on new tyres and 25m tyre miles were recorded, with an average life of 15,000 miles per tyre.
He realized the seriousness of the matter, he said, and the company had taken every step to avoid it happening in future; it was always aiming at perfection.
Mr. R. R. Jackson, imposing the penalty, said he could not emphasize strongly enough that operators should comply with conditions, whether they were dealing with a national concern or not.
"When operations involve sites where tyres get damaged, inspection should be stepped up," he said.
• An application by Mr. L. Fisher, for a B licence to be heard by the South Wales LA last week was dismissed because Mr. Fisher failed to attend. Three of the five objectors were present.