LICENCES OF HAULIER AND COACH OWNER SUSPENDED
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TWO operators—a haulier and a coach owner—had their licences suspended by the Yorkshire Licensing Authority in Leeds on Monday. The haulier was Mr. J. C. Ashworth, Hill Top Garage, Allerton, Brad ford, whose licences for five vehicles were suspended for 14 days from May 22. Licences for two coaches owned by Mr. A. W. Kirk, 88 Thornton Road, Bradford, were suspended for 28 days from May 16.
It was stated, that Mr. Ashworth had been charged with, and pleaded guilty to, more than 500 offences relating to records, at Bradford Magistrates' Court, and had been fined about £600. Drivers had also been fined.
Mr. A. J. Cousins said that Mr. Ashworth held special A, A and B licences. He was asked to produce his records to the Licensing Authority and when they did not arrive, an examiner was sent for them. Mr. Ashworth was said on that occasion to be away and the records were not handed over. Eventually they were left at the Leeds office of the Authority.
Drivers were then asked to appear for interview. Some of them were presented —15 on one occasion—but it was not possible to interview them all at once. Other dates were arranged, but drivers were not then available.
Record sheets produced to the Authority showed that Mr. Ashworth was responsible for 474 offences in not causing proper records to be kept.
Haulier Warned Maj. F. S. Eastwood, Licensing Authority, said that Mr. Ashworth was warned that he was failing to observe the conditions of his licence and, in March, 1954, gave an undertaking that this would not occur again.
Mr. Cousins said Mr. Ashworth held eight licences and not one of them was free from offence.
Mr. A. Goss, appearing for Mr. Ashworth, said that it was a case of a one-man business in which the man concerned had tried to do too much. It was contrary to English justice that a man should be punished twice. Mr. Ashworth had been fined £600 and his drivers £90, plus legal costs.
He had been guilty of issuing wrong forms to his drivers. He had failed to ensure that men operating outside a 25mile radius had different forms from those who were collecting and delivering within that radius.
His total takings for 1955 were £48,000, which, said Mr. Goss, was not an unduly large sum for a man with 20 vehicles. Mr. Ashworth started in the business with a horse at the age of 18 before the 1933 Act came into effect and it was clear evidence of his ability and honesty that since 1952 his fleet had increased from 12 to 20.
He had now decided that he could no longer carry on alone and had appointed Mr. J. Lodge, formerly of British Road Services, as manager.
Maj. Eastwood said he took a very serious view of the case.
B32 Mr. Cousins said that Mr. Kirk had committed offences between 1948 and 1955. There were seven offences, generally of carrying passengers without licences. Fines imposed by Bradford magistrates had ranged from £2 to £20. He had been warned by letter from the Licensing Authority's office at Leeds.
Maj. Eastwood: "He was warned recently in a very strong way at Sheffield."
• Mr. S. Temple-Milnes, for Mr. Kirk, said his client started in 1948 with four vehicles on hire purchase and had been bewildered by the situation concerning private parties. He had been advised— wrongly, it seemed—that certain journeys came within the category of contract work, as a result of which the cases had arisen. Eventually he secured licences for two coaches. It was significant that all the offences occurred during the winter months.
If the licences were revoked it would be hard on Mr. Kirk, but more so on those who had made 72 bookings for the summer. Hotel reservations had been made and it would now be impossible for the bookers to make alternative arrangements. Mr. Kirk would be faced with claims that could not be met II-DAY FORTNIGHT DRAWS STAFF
THE 11-day working fortnight which the London Transport Executive are progressively introducing at garages to replace the -six-day week has increased the attraction of bus work to new as well as to existing staff, the Executive report.
Since last autumn, there has been a steady decline in the number of vacancies for drivers and conductors, and more than half the mileage that was being " lost " in September has now been restored.
MEAT TENDER FAILS THE Road Haulage Disposal Board
have approved the refusal by the British Transport Commission of a recent tender for the meat unit of British Road Services. This information was given in a written reply by the Minister of Transport to Mr. L. Thomas last week.
DRIVERS' CONTEST: NEW DATE
THE date of the final contest in the All-England Lorry Driver of the Year Competition has been changed from September 9 to September 23. The venue—the R.N.A.S. Station at Bramcote—is unchanged.