Double the trucks but half the time
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• North Western LA Martin Albu has increased the authorisation on the licence held by Newton-le-Willows-based BC Handling from 22 vehicles and six trailers to 42 vehicles and 20 trailers. But he cut the duration of the licence to expire at the end of the year, saying he was putting the company on probation over its maintenance.
Vehicle examiner Thomas Toolan told a Manchester public inquiry that in March he inspected three vehicles, issuing one with an immediate prohibition for a serious brake defect plus three defect notices.
The vehicle with the immediate prohibition had been inspected by the company's maintenance staff four days before and no braking defect had been found. Maintenance was carried out with the bare necessities and the nominated maintenance contractor was not being used. There were no records available for one trailer— the company's fitter was not even aware of that particular trailer.
Fleet engineer Peter Finch said he joined the company in April. There were now two fully skilled mechanics, two apprentices and a fully skilled mechanic working weekends. Finch planned to employ a second weekend mechanic. He had thrown out the previous maintenance system and set up his own.
Vehicles were currently being inspected every three weeks, Defect reports came to him directly The company now had a dedicated workshop in an adjacent unit and the annual test rate had slowly started to improve. It was not very good due to the condition of the fleet: It was now about 50% and they were aiming for 90%.
He checked on the staff by checking vehicles at random. As the fleet condition improved inspection periods would be extended to five weeks so they would be able to cope with the extra vehicles Operations manager Harry Creegan said the company delivered built-up furniture for mail order catalogues throughout the UK. No financial restrictions were placed on Finch. The company required 20 extra vehicles to cover its existing contracts as the contract work had increased.
Albu said it was clear that the company's maintenance arrangements had got into a state before February 1995.