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Loose wheel held on by one nut 'would have been lethal'
Page 35
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A WHEEL HELD in place by just one finger-tight n ut has cost Letchworth-based Taylored Lines 11,148 in fines and costs.
The company pleaded guilty at Liverpool City Magistrate's Court to using a semi-trailer in a dangerous condition. Nine of the 10 wheelnuts on axle two were missing.
John Heaton, prosecuting for Vosa, said the loss of the wheel would probably not have caused loss of control of the vehicle, but the loose wheel bouncing along the road would have been lethal to other road users and pedestrians.
What was extraordinary was that the vehicle was being taken for annual test at Simonswood test station and that the driver, Michael Turner, was the company's fleet engineer.
For the company, Joanne Emery said a fitter had removed four wheels on the vehicle before it was taken for annual test.There had been a problem with the compressor used to Lighten the wheelnuts and they had not been tightened enough. A1110 wheelnuts had been replaced, but the fitter had missed the final tightening up because of the compressor problems.
The fitter rang Turner to say the vehicle was ready. Turner only took vehicles for test on the rare occasions when the second fitter was away, and because the fitter had just done the pre-MOT examination he did not do a walk-round check.
Vosa had checked the company's Cardiff depot and were happy with the procedures, said Emery.The company had revised its procedures and both Turner and the fitter had received written warnings.
Magistrates fined the company 11.000 with 1148 costs.Turner was fined £90 with 1115 costs.