Disciplined over poor maintenance record
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IN Convictions and a poor maintenance record led Junction Transport Services (St Helens) to disciplinary proceedings before North Western LA Martin Albu.
For the company, which holds an international licence for 13 vehicles, Paul Carless said the convictions related to axle overloading offences—it was conceded that the company had failed to notify the LA of the convictions, Of the 23 prohibitions listed, two were issued after the company had disposed of the vehicles concerned. The most serious of the prohibitions was an immediate prohibition on 16 August. A driver collected a trailer and made the usual cursory checks but the braking system had been neglected.
Managing director Dennis Ratcliffe felt put out at being before the LA. said Carless. The company ran eight vehicles and had been issued with 21 prohibitions in four years. It invited a vehicle examiner to visit its premises but that invitation had not been taken up. The company was concerned about the prohibitions but it was the equivalent of a vehicle picking up a prohibition every two years.
Ratcliffe said the vehicles were inspected every 10,000 km, or six weeks, whichever was the sooner, and the trailers every eight to 10 weeks. He was satisfied with the company's maintenance standards.
Albu said it was being argued that these were not serious prohibitions. But even a delayed prohibition was a warning that vehicles were becoming unroadworthy. There had been a prohibition for an oil leak that should have been noticed and another for a fuel leak.
Asked about the axle overloads, Ratcliffe said he did not class axle overloads as an overload.
Taking no action, Albu warned the company to keep an eye on vehicle maintenance and advised it against incurring further prohibitions.