Dentressangle tankers suffer cut-back in UK
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m by Michael Jewell
Norbert Dentressangle's UK tanker division's licence has been cut from 40 vehicles and 50 trailers to 25 vehicles and 25 traders.
It was called before North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Mark Hinchliffe at a Leeds disciplinary inquiry last week, because of concern over its maintenance record.
Vehicle examiner Peter Turner said in February he examined five vehicles and five trailers by prior arrangement, and imposed four immediate prohibitions for defects that should have been observed by drivers and the maintenance staff. The inspection records were in French and were not fully completed. Turner also told of further problems with the company's maintenance procedure.
In reply to Gary Hodgson, for the company, Turner agreed the defects found did not show long
standing neglect. He said he had been surprised by what he had found as previous fleet inspections had been satisfactory.
Managing director Gilles Letard said the division was currently operating 18 vehicles and 20 trailers. He felt it had been very much a problem of failing to manage the recording system and discipline. A new driver defect reporting system had been set up.
Inspections were now being carried out locally by a commercial garage rather than in France and quarterly audit checks were being carried out by Norbert Dentressangle Holdings to ensure the work was being carried out to the standard required.
Curtailing the licence the Deputy Commissioner ordered that a licence performance review be carried out in about nine months' time so that he could be reassured that things were working out.