Transport Tribunal reduces Meachers penalty
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• An appeal by Meachers Transport Ltd against the decision of the South Eastern LA to curtail the company's licence from 66 to 47 vehicles (CM July 27) has been allowed in part by the Transport Tribunal.
The licence was curtailed following the issue of 13 delayed GV9s since the application for a licence in December 1969. On one of the vehicles issued with a GV9 it was found that brake back-plate bolts were loose but the company maintained that the vehicle manufacturers had stated that the bolts normally remained undisturbed throughout the life of the vehicle and this was the first instance of such a defect being reported to them. In addition there was nothing in the Tester's Manual to indicate that these bolts should be periodically inspected.
The Tribunal says that the appellants seem to have been "lulled into a false sense of security" regarding the bolts. These faults were not the only defects and in the Tribunal's view some curtailment was fully justified. The company had fallen somewhat short of perfection in using facilities for maintenance which were sufficient for the company's vehicles.
The penalty was varied to the curtailment of 10 vehicles for a period of three months.
Two more appeals, of William Round Transport and Craylon Transport, have been dismissed by the Tribunal.
The appeals, considered together, concerned two companies using the same main tenance facilities at Dudley in Worcestershire and were against the decision of the West Midland deputy LA to curtail four vehicles from the licence of William Round and four vehicles and six trailers from the licence of Craylon (CM July 27).
In both cases the deputy LA had considered prohibitions and alleged failures to fulfil statements of intent regarding maintenance arrangements.
The findings of the deputy LA were that the facilities were being over-utilized and with this the Tribunal agrees.