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AXLE/VEHICLE

21st December 2000
Page 20
Page 20, 21st December 2000 — AXLE/VEHICLE
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TC

OC:ENRCLEORANDIS NG accepts that haulier did ENVIRONMENTAL

not tell drivers to break law

A Liverpool container haulier won an increase in its licence authorisation after telling North Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell that it never asked its drivers to breach the regulations.

Selsdon Haulage Services was seeking permission to move its operating centre to the Liverpool Freeport, and to increase its licence from six vehicles and six trailers to eight vehicles and 15 trailers.

Vehicle examiner Peter Turner said that since the Selsdon 0-licence was granted last October two immediate and two delayed prohibitions with one variation notice had been imposed on the company's vehicles.

However, two vehicles and two trailers examined recently were in a satisfactory condition and he was happy with the maintenance arrangements.

Director John Pythian told the inquiry that he had been working for Henry Forsyth. When that company closed down. Coastal Container Lines and Gracechurch Container Lines invited him to set up a company, with those two companies providing the vehicles.

They needed the additional trailers because Gracechurch imported a lot of 20ft containers from the Mediterranean. These took a long time to unload as they were not palletised; he wanted to be able to leave the trailers at the warehouse while the tractor did other work. He also wanted to employ a shunter in the dock area.

The TC said it had been suggested in other cases that cus

tomers wanted to continue to use someone they knew, even if he had lost his licence. Pythian replied: "If I was to lose my licence, or do it wrong, Gracechurch would drop me like a tonne of bricks."

He accepted that Liverpool was a hard area in which to operate, saying: "I agree there are some unscrupulous operators in the area who abuse tachographs and drivers' hours.

Asked how he competed, Pythian said that he did not have to now. The revenue earned by the vehicles provided by Gracechurch was shared with Gracechurch and it was in their interests to ensure they earned sufficient revenue, he added. He did not ask any drivers to breach any regulations. If any operator who worked for the same customers was breaching the regulations he would inform the customer.

The TC granted the application but issued a warning over maintenance standards.


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