Third time still lucky
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• Wishaw
based Scotmove was successful in obtaining the unrestricted renewal of its licence, despite appearing at disciplinary proceedings on maintenance grounds for the third time in three years.
The firm was seeking a licence authorising nine vehicles and 35 trailers, before Scottish Licensing Authority Hugh McNamara.
In 1987 Scotmove was given a warning by the LA over its maintenance (CM 23 May 1987.) and last March Deputy Licensing Authority Alex Brand was prepared only to renew its licence for a 12-month period. (CM 31 March-6 April 1988.)
Ian Millar, the DTp's Glasgow operations manager, said since the last inquiry three immediate prohibitions had been placed on the firm's vehicles and trailers.
Inspections were carried out at intervals of 10 and 11 weeks instead of four, and there were no records of quarterly inspections by the Freight Transport Association.
Millar felt there had been an improvement in vehicle condition, but said that defects that led to the three prohibitions showed Scotmove still did not have an effective maintenance system.
The firm's general manager, David Bruce, said the company had done a lot of work to put matters right and he felt it was 90% there. The number of prohibitions had been reduced from 25 one year to nine the next, and now three.
The trailer prohibited during the fleet check in January had been off the road, and he felt that a vehicle given a prohibition during its annual test had been the result of misadventure.
The examiner had not asked to see the FTA records. Deficiencies in the inspection records should now be rectified, because additional staff have been taken on to give the foreman more time to supervise the workshop.
Dominic Tedesco, a partner, said business had increased to the point where Scotmove would have a completely new fleet in the next two years.
McNamara said the situation was clearly better than it had been, and it made him reasonably confident that he could grant renewal with a warning, without restricting the licence.