'Shambles' firm suspended
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• Westland-Stewart Ltd of Thorniebank. Glasgow, metal finishers, appeared before Mr A. B. Birnie. the Scottish LA, last week Seeking an additional vehicle and also faced a Section 69 appearance following receipt of two immediate and one delayed GV9 notices. Mr James Westland, director, said this was a new firm which had little experience of transport operation, using one 5-ton Bedford to collect and deliver work mainly in the Glasgow area; he realized the firm was in a "bit of a shambles" in June and had taken steps to correct these shortcomings. He had undertaken to keep records but there was no one in the company with experience of transport work and a full-time mechanic had been appointed to handle the work.
Following receipt of two GV9 prohibitions the company realized there was something seriously wrong with its transport, dismissed the mechanic and had new arrangements made with an adjacent engineering works to service its vehicle, he said. On three occasions a standby vehicle. kept for emergencies, had been used when the authorized vehicle was off the road. It had been assumed an alternative vehicle could be used so long as only one was used but now realized the error of that. This illegal use was restricted and was admitted. Regular six-weekly checks supplemented by more detailed weekly checks than had applied to date would now be given.
Mr Birnie said he had no hesitation in refusing to grant an additional vehicle. Because of the admitted "shambles" 'and the prohibitions he was suspending the company's one permitted vehicle for six weeks, starting on October 31 to allow an opportunity to make other arrangements.