Top Trade has its O-licence revoked over loose nuts
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By Roger Brown
CARDIFF-BASED operator Top Trade has had its O-licence revoked after it booked a vehicle in for an MoT with one of its wheels about to fall off.
In a written decision, following a public inquiry in March, Nick Jones, Trafic Commissioner (TC) for Wales, disqualiied the sole director at the company, Naseem Hassan, from holding a licence for three years.
Paul Davies, VOSA vehicle examiner, told the inquiry that maintenance facilities at the company – authorised for three vehicles, with two in possession – were inadequate.
Since a December 2005 inquiry into maintenance failings at the irm, four investigations had been carried out and all had been marked unsatisfactory. The latest investigation found that very little remedial work had been undertaken by an outside contractor, and the majority of defects had not been actioned. No driver defect reporting system was in place and the forward planner was on a white board, which meant no historic records were kept.
The inquiry was told that Top Trade had a history of problems with loose wheel nuts. A vehicle was submitted for an MoT test with major defects, including a wheel with stud holes elongated so that the wheel was about to fall off. An S-marked prohibition was issued for the MoT failure.
The TC said he thought the safety risks from the operator were real and signiicant, despite it only operating two vehicles.
He added: “I am appalled that a vehicle is submitted for an annual MoT test with a wheel in danger of falling off. In view of the number of maintenance investigations that show the same issues, I do not consider that the operator has either the will or the ability to put matters right, and run a safe operation.”