Haulier gets ultimatum on 0 licence
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BULK milk haulier Mr J. A. Mason, of Salop, was given an ultimatum by the West Midland LA, Mr A. A. Crabtree, on Monday at a section 69 hearing in Birmingham and was told: "If your maintenance facilities do not improve you will lose your licence."
Mr B. Wilson, a DoE vehicle examiner, had told the LA of a maintenance inspection he had carried out on March 26 at Mr Mason's Beechfield depot. He said that he inspected R HA-type maintenance records and found these to be satisfactory. )He said that two skilled fitters employed by the firm carried out 60 per cent of vehicle maintenance; the remainder being undertaken by the same fitters using the facilities of a local garage.
However, when the examiner came to inspect the maintenance facilities at the depot he found that the only covered accommodation available was a tarpaulin "rig-up". There was no hardstanding and the ground was two inches deep in mud. At that time he inspected two vehicles and three trailers and found these to be in a satisfactory condition.
In defence Mr Mason, who was authorized to operate eight vehicles and eight trailers, said that he had intended building new premises but had been delayed through planning permission difficulties. The construction on maintenance workshops had now been started, he told the LA.
The Licensing Authority, who was also taking into consideration two immediate GV9s recorded against Mr Mason's vehicle and the fact that he had promised to improve main tenance facilities at an earlier Section 69 hearing, said that he would adjourn the case in order to allow Mr Mason time to organize proper maintenance facilities.