Tipper firm's margin shaved
Page 18
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A Chester haulage company, whose vehicles were said to have been putting the safety of other road users at risk because of its prohibition history, has lost the margin an its licence for one month.
4 4
Tipper operator E Nixon & Son had been called before North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Patrick Muivenna at a Trafford disciplinary inquiry.
The company holds a licence for 18 vehicles and 13 trailers — 15 vehicles and 10 trailers are specified.
Vehicle examiner Roger Byron said that, in the past five years, 19 immediate and 16 delayed prohibitions had been imposed on the company's vehicles.
He examined three vehicles and two trailers in May, and imposed two delayed prohibitions and two defect notices. The prohibition history showed the company had difficulty keeping its vehicles in a roadworthy condition and the safety
of other road users was being put at risk.
In reply to James Backhouse, for the company, Byron agreed the maintenance facdties and staff were adequate. He said there were systems in place; the weakness was that they were not being enforced. He agreed the vehicles were engaged on heavy work, going on and off site and into quarries, and that the danger of prohibitions for instantly occurring defects was greater.
Managing director Christopher Nixon said his company aimed to modernise its fleet, as older vehicles required more maintenance.
The seven newest vehicles were on contract hire and were being maintained by the main agent.
The vehicles the company maintained had been inspected every four to six weeks, depending on mileage. That had since been changed, with all the vehicles being inspected every four weeks with roller brake tests on alternate inspections.
The company had just spent £54,000 on two new trailers and it was planning to replace the four oldest vehicles within six months.
Control over the driver defect reporting system had been tightened and Nixon said he was now personally auditing the drivers' daily checks. There was a problem with agency drivers who could leave the premises before a defect report could be obtained.
Curtailing the licence to 15 vehicles and 10 trailers for a month, the Deputy TC said he was doing so to focus Nixon's mind on the fact that he must not let matters deteriorate again to the same extent.
He was satisfied steps had been taken to help improve the situation.
Indicating he would ask for a further check on at least five vehicles in the next 12 months, the Deputy IC warned the company that, if it was found wanting in any respect, it would face the possibility of further action.