LA backs action on semi checks
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• Problems over the condition of other companies' trailers brought JM Garry & Son to a disciplinary inquiry before North Western LA Martin Albu. The Morecambe-based company holds an international licence for 30 vehicles and 20 trailers.
Vehicle examiner Brian Heyhurst said that over the past five years 14 immediate and nine delayed prohibitions had been issued to vehicles and trailers used by the company.
Questioned by John Backhouse, for the company, Heyhurst agreed that Roadferry, for whom Gorry's hauled trailers, had a pool of about 600 trailers in a trailer compound at Heysham docks. He agreed that the list of trailers which had received prohibitions suggested they needed checking before they left the dock—he had been to s;ee Roadferry twice.
Gon-y's foreman fitter Stephen Wood said that it was the trailers which they pulled for other people that were causing the problems with prohibitions. They had a mobile mechanic's van and a fitter now went out each day on to the clocks and checked all the trailers. If any defects were found the trailer was taken back to the workshop or handed to Roadferry to resolve the problem.
Managing director John Gorry said his company had a lot of difficulties with trailers. Roadferry was relying on drivers to do a visual safety check. Roadferry maintained the trailers in Ireland and he felt it needed the kind of system operated by Pandoro. He was going to approach Roadferry again about the problem but he needed the support of the Vehicle Inspectorate.
Roadferry had asked JM Gon-y to send the van down every morning to check for visual dam. age, said Gorry. If there were any problems his drivers could also call the van. They did not let the trailers they pulled go out until they were fit to go out.
Golly sent Roadferry an invoice for the repair of any minor defects: it had to ask Roadferry's permission to rectify any serious defects.
Issuing a warning, Albu said that the problem with the trailers was serious. There was no doubt that an operator pulling a trailer was responsible for its condition, but this was hard if they were being picked up from the docks. He offered every encouragement to Gorry's actions.