RISKY TO RELY ON DRIVERS FOR MAINTENANCE, SAYS L.A.
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THE risks involved in relying on drivers to report or repair vehicle faults was stressed by Mr. J. R. C. Samuel Gibbon, Western Licensing Authority, at a public inquiry in Bristol last Friday to consider action under Section 178 of the Road Traffic Act, 1960.
Durston Plant Contractors Ltd., Bristol, was before the L.A., following a total of seven prohibitions on vehicles owned by the firm, operated on B and C licences.
Ministry of Transport vehicle examiner, Mr. Lionel F. White, said that during a road check on one of the vehicles he found both foot and handbrakes inefficient, among other defects. At 20 m.p.h. the stopping distance was 35 ft. on the foot brake, and the handbrake failed to register on the clock, he said. In his opinion, oil-seal leaks affected the efficiency of the brakes. Excessive black smoke was emitted by the vehicle and the nearside front tyre was badly cut and needed to be changed.
Mr. White said a G.V.9, dated February 12 last, related to an accident to one of the firm's vehicles, when the wheel came off following the collapse of a bearing. There had been no collision, he said. He told Mr. Samuel-Gibbon it was the sort of thing which could happen when a bearing collapsed.
Another G.V.9 during February referred to various faults, including loose bolts on a front chassis cross-member. Mr. White said this could have led to a dangerous condition. In his opinion, all the defects indicated a lack of proper maintenance.
Appearing for the company, Mr. F. J. Durston, director, said he did not wish to challenge the statements made by Mr. White. Asked by Mr. Samuel-Gibbon A30 to comment on the series of faults, he said: "I think it is pretty obvious that we must have been very slack in those days ". Since October. 27 this year, he added, he had given orders to Severn Beach Garage to look after the vehicles owned by his company. He agreed with Mr. Samuel-Gibbon, who said: "It comes to this doesn't it, that you have retied on your drivers? You have had no systematic check on your vehicles ".
Witness for the company, Mr. Terrence Hodges, of Severn Beach Garage, said that following a prohibition imposed in October, he found an exhauster coupling was broken, which gave no air assistance to the footbrake. Weakness in the handbrake was caused by a maladjustment. He said: "Mr. Durston is not mechanically minded and he relied on his drivers. We now have each of the three vehicles in once a month for a complete check ".
Giving his decision, Mr. SamuelGibbon said: "The evidence I have heard in this case shows how necessary it is to go into the matter of maintenance with great care ".
He referred to his powers under the Act before suspending the company's C licence for 14 days.
As the circumstances relating to the cases under the B licence were somewhat different, he said: "Consistently with my duty, I can take no action with regard to the B licence ".
But the L.A. warned Mr. Durston that he must get things right with his vehicles. G.V.9s relating to faulty brakes, he said, were as serious as any which came before him. He often heard of elaborate systems of maintenance, but the proof of the pudding was in the eating—the vehicles must be safe, he added.