Licence tangle
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cleared by LA FERGUSONS (Blyth) Ltd was called before the Northern Licensing Authority so that its relationship with another haulage company, Thompsons (Blyth) Ltd, could be investigated.
This was made clear by the LA, Bertram Foster, when Fergusons applied to add 16 vehicles and 26 trailers to its licence, bringing the total authorisation to 66 vehicles and 68 trailers.
Mr Foster said he was concerned about delays in supplying information concerning various matters — the apparent illegal interchange of vehicles and an application to increase the number of vehicles authorised when the full authority presently on the licence had not been fully taken up.
The company's managing director, E. M. Ferguson, said that in 1958 he had purchased the goodwill and fleet of Thompsons. At that time, Fergusons had not been limited, and it was in 1964 that a limited company was formed. Since then the two fleets had been operated side by side.
There had been difficulties over records and the employment of drivers when vehicles were loaned between the two companies. In order to put matters right, the Thompson licence had been surrendered and it was the intention to incorporate all the vehicles in the Ferguson licence.
The application was granted. A DRIVER who took a 24'/2ton truck over a .stretch of road with a 15-ton restriction has been fined £15 at Oban Sheriff Court.
Allen Luckman of South Yardley, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to the charge of driving his Post Office supply vehicle over the restricted stretch of road at Lochaweside.
Suspecting the truck was breaking weight restrictions, traffic police gave chase and asked the driver to accompany them to the weighbridge where it was found that the truck weighed 24 tons 7 cwt.
Dickman produced a route map given him by the PO supplies division which laid out the route he was to take. The route took him over the restricted area.
As a result the PO supplies division was also prosecuted and fined E20.