Final warning sounded
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Cardiff-based Support Site has been given a final warning about the maintenance of the company's three vehicles by Welsh Deputy Traffic Commissioner Man Jenkins (pictured).
Vehicle examiner Kevin Gist told a Cardiff disciplinary inquiry that the company had received a prohibition showing a significant maintenance failure for a tyre defect in 1997 which had led to a prosecution before Carmarthen magistrates. Though there was now no problem with the condition of the vehicles, a recent visit had shown that the six-weekly inspection period had on occasion been extended to 12 weeks.
Managing director Gregory Kenny said the company, which is a builders' merchant, had noted the previous warnings. He added: "We are aware that we had to invest more money in this area of our operation. We have employed someone to oversee the running of our vehicles."
The conviction for the defective tyre was a consequence of a driver failing to carry out his daily checks properly, Kenny explained. He said that the same driver had failed to return tachograph charts on one occasion and that had led to a conviction at Cardiff last year. A vehicle involved in a conviction for an axle overload was not based at Cardiff Out at one of the company's other four depots. tt had been a weight distribution problem; the vehicle had weighed 230k less than its gross permitted weight.
Indicating he was sure the company would heed this final warning, the Deputy IC said: "Another chance such as this may not be readily available to you."