Bacon's licence reduced
Page 8
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NO ACTION other than to terminate in 18 months' time the licence held by Peter Bacon Road Haulage, of King's Lynn, was taken by Eastern Deputy Licensing Authority Charles Arnold-Baker when the company appeared at its fourth public enquiry since 1975.
Mr Arnold-Baker also renewed for 18 months the five vehicle national licence held by the company's managing director, Peter Bacon, in his own name.
Evidence was given by a vehicle examiner that last November a vehicle presented for annual test was given an immediate prohibition for serious brake defects. A further notice was issued when the same vehicle was presented for retest in December.
At a fleet inspection in February, when five vehicles and a trailer were examined, one vehicle was given an immediate prohibition. When presented for clearance, that vehicle was given a further prohibition for inefficient brakes.
Mr Arnold-Baker said that over 50 convictions had been recorded against the company and either the company or Mr Bacon had been operating without a qualified transport manager for 18 months.
The company's licence authorised 12 vehicles, nine of which were specified. Twelve vehicles were being operated so it seemed that the company had forgotten to specify three.
In evidence Mr Bacon said the vehicles were engaged on rough work carrying scrap metal and waste material. The fitter who had prepared the vehicle given a prohibition during its annual test was sacked as he had previous warnings following the issue of other prohibitions.
Mr Bacon said the intention was that he would act as transport manager for his own licence and a Brian Chase had been appointed transport manager for the company.
There had been difficulties in renewing the fleet as the business had run at a loss for a period. However, the situation had improved. One new vehicle had been purchased and negotiations were taking place concerning a second. It was hoped to purchase three next year and then four a year.
After Mr Bacon had handed in some letters from customers and others as to the repute of himself and the company, Mr Arnold-Baker said the transport tribunal seemed to believe that repute and reputation were the same thing and he had no evidence before him affecting that.
Dealing with the convictions, Mr Bacon agreed that most related to tachograph offences in the middle of 1983. He said that he had some sympathy with drivers over the use of the mode switch as it was rather a lot for a driver engaged on local waste collection. He realised he had to be stricter in future and a tachograph chart analyser had been purchased.
Announcing his decision, Mr Arnold-Baker said it was not the job of an LA to punish operators. His concern was road safety. In s sense Mr Bacon was "putting hi: house in order".
For that reason he took no ac. tion other than to reduce the du ration of the company's licence He granted Mr Bacon's renewa for 18 months so that botllicences would expire at tht same time.