3uspension goes ahead
Page 7
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I APPEAL against a three-month suspension of arator's licence was dismissed by the Transport .ek. a company's Tribunal last )river and Ling Ltd, a Col3ster-based demolition corniy, had its licence suspended the Eastern Deputy Licensing thority to allow it to "get its use in order."
kt the company's third public iuiry in January, the DLA ed that the changes to the ining of the business, called at the second public inquiry April 1981, had not been card out.
Regular fortnightly inspecns of the vehicle fleet had not en completed, lorries had en overloaded, and a driver d defied the previous threeonth suspension that was ought about as a result of the cond public inquiry.
The company's counsel exained that the fortnightly aintenance checks could be alred if any inter-house changes ok place. Driver and Ling Hight a servicing station next its premises in Colchester and prv carried out inspections rice weekly. The Transport TriJnal was, however, not satisK1 that these inspections were orough enough.
The second complaint of terloading should not have :en considered at the third &lc inquiry, the counsel said, ; the three offences took place 1980 and had already been mit with in court. The fact that iere have been no more convicans in the intervening period is irther proof that the company iould not be penalised for past istory.
Defiance of the previous susension arose when the yard lanager, who had been on holiay and was not aware of the uspension, allowed a vehicle to e taken out, The company was ble to use a number of vehicles uring the suspension period, as ne of the employees had an 0cence.
The lorry taken out was not on that particular licence and was subsequently stopped by the police and dealt with in court.
Once more the counsel said that this incident should not have been taken into consideration as the company had already been punished for it.
In summing up, the counsel said Driver and Ling's procedures are now "adequate". Nothing need be improved. A further suspension could well put it out of business, because of the specialised nature of its work.
The appeal was dismissed and the reasons were to be given in writing at a later date.