Fleet suffered 100% prohibitions
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A 100% prohibition rate at a fleet inspection has led to the licence held by a long-established Swansea skip hire operator being cut from five vehicles to three. Geoffrey Taylor, trading as Taylor Skip and Plant Hire, who has held an 0-licence for 20 years, appeared before Welsh Traffic Commissioner David Dixon at a Port Talbot disciplinary inquiry Vehicle examiner Wayne Price told the hearing how he had carried out the fleet check at a day's notice; nonetheless the two vehicles inspected were both issued with prohibitions.
He added that a further serious prohibition was issued in the period between the fleet inspection and the public inquiry.
Price said that the forward planning system used by Taylor had shortcomings: a vehicle no longer in use was still included on it; the maintenance records lacked details on brake performance; and he had advised Taylor to reduce his maintenance intervals from six weeks to four.
Taylor said: "I have been checking the vehicles myself every morning with the driver as well, so hopefully we will spot anything wrong."
He gave undertakings to have the brakes tested on his vehicles at four-monthly intervals using a roller brake tester. He added that his maintenance contractor had already recommended reducing the interval and he showed the TC a letter from the contractor to this effect.
Taylor, who also runs a farm, said that any suspension of his licence would damage his business: "We are in a restricted zone for foot and mouth and so we cannot move any livestock," he explained.
For Taylor, Paul Carless said that the problems might have been down to complacency, but he added: "I am confident myself that he will do all he says he will do."
Cutting the licence, the TC told Taylor: You are quite capable of running your vehicles correctly but for whatever reason you have dropped below the high standard that is required."