Maxilead licence cut
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/Maintenance problems, and concern over finance, led to the licence held by removal contractor Maxilead being renewed for six vehicles for 18 months only, by North Western Licensing Authority Martin Albu.
The Tyldesley, Manchester — based company had sought to renew its licence for 11 vehicles.
Department of Transport vehicle examiner Cohn Waddilove said he had examined three vehicles in February and issued two immediate prohibitions. No notice had been given of his visit and the vehicles were inspected as they came off the road. He considered them to be in poor condition. A mobile mechanic was employed for work that could be carried out at the operating centre and an outside garage was used for other work. The inspection records were insufficient.
Transport manager Patrick Devlin said he had been appointed in January. A new maintenance contract had been en tered into with an outside garage. The garage had a rolling road brake test facility and the vehicles were to be inspected at six weekly intervals. Drivers had been issued with RHA defect books and they reported on a nil basis. The company was currently operating only two vehicles as the house market had become stagnant. If needed, they hired vehicles.
Peter Clay, the company's chairman, said he required a minimum of six vehicles. Any maintenance failure had not been due to lack of funds.
After Albu commented that the accounts showed a loss and an excess of liabilities over current assets, Clay said they were in the process of selling land. A lot of money had been spent on maintenance and a lot of work had been done on the vehicles.
Albu said he was limiting the licence until the maintenance system was working properly, the finance was not satisfactory but the company was in a state of fluctuation. It was reasonable to assume they would make adequate arrangements to maintain the vehicles they had.