LA lays down law.
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• •
• The new Eastern Licensing Authority John Mervyn Pugh is determined that vehicles in his traffic area are going to be the best maintained, and he intends to come down very heavily on any operator who lets him down.
Pugh's statement of intent came when he granted an application by Michael Taylor of Firs Farm, Hall Lane, Kinoulton, to add two vehicles and trailers to his one-vehicle restricted licence and to upgrade the class of licence to a Standard National. He said that, though there had been no problems with Taylor in regard to maintenance in the past, he was now in the "big league" and he would be very severe if Taylor's vehicles failed on maintenance in the future.
The application had been opposed by Nottinghamshire County Council which was concerned that the farm could not accommodate three vehicles and two trailers. It was also worried that the ingress and egress, which is directly opposite the village Post Office, was sub-standard and about the effect of heavy vehicles on the narrow Hall Lane. Parking problems were caused by the location of the Post Office, it claimed.
After discussions between the parties, Timothy Holder for the county said that Taylor agreed that the additional vehicles would he tractive units; that no trailers would be kept at the farm; that the vehicles would not be parked in Hall Lane and two other nearby roads; and that vehicles would always enter and leave the operating centre in a forward direction.
The council also wanted some restriction on the hours of operation, but Taylor did not agree to the hours being limited by condition.
In evidence, Taylor said that in his application he had said that the normal hours of operation would be between Sam and 6pm, but there were occasions when vehicles would operate outside those hours, particularly at harvest time.
In granting the application Pugh imposed the agreed conditions together with a condition that the hours of operation be between 8arn and 6pm in every month except July and August. He warned that Taylor must have an additional operating centre
for the trailers before he could commence operating artics, though the condition did not mean that he could not keep a trailer at the farm overnight during harvest time as that would not be where the trailer was "normally kept".
In reply to a question from Taylor, Pugh said the requirement to have an operating centre for the trailers also applied to hired trailers as Taylor was still the operator.