Mixed reception for hgv drivers
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THREE DRIVERS got a mixed reception when they appealed against heavy goods vehicle licence bans at Newcastle last week.
In the first case a 29-year-old Sunderland driver, Mr George Hull was told that he had shown a complete lack of concern about road safety and the provisions of the Road Traffic Act.
The Northern Licensing Authority, Mr B. J. Foster, said he was not prepared to' reconsider a decision to refuse renewal of a provisional hgv driving licence for at least 12 months. Hull admitted convictions at Sunderland in 1968 and 1973 for drinking and driving, and in 1975 for driving while disqualified and without insurance when he also received a six months' suspended prison sentence.
In a second case, Mr Bertram B. Storey, of Newcastle upon Tyne, agreed he had been a menace on the road for some years but said he had learned his lesson.
Storey had convictions for drinking and driving, at Liverpool in 1971, and at Alnwick and Darlington in 1973. He said the reason for this beha viour was that his marriage had been on the rocks. Since then he had obtained a divorce and remarried. His new wife did not allow him to drink.
Storey added that he had been out of work for two years and got his ordinary driving licence back in April, this year.
The LA said he would give Mr Storey a chance to turn over a new leaf and grant renewal of a class 3 licence.
Failure to provide a medical certificate had resulted in revocation of the hgv licence of Mr C. R. Thompson, Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Evidence was given that in May, 1975, he had been involved in a slight accident in a lay-by and when seen by the police complained of head pains. He was taken to hospital but nothing was found to be wrong and he was not detained. When application was made for renewal of the ' licence the doctor at Swansea decided that the medical history justified revocation.
Mr Thompson told the LA there was nothing wrong with him.
Adjourning the hearing, the LA said that if Mr Thompson could produce a certificate from his own doctor that he was in good health he could then tell. Swansea that he was satisfied about his fitness to drive.