Reduced• Fleet : Keeling's to Appeal
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FOLLOWING the inquiry, which he held last week, the Yorkshire Licensing Authority has decided to reduce by two articulated vehicles and two other machines, the number of vehicles which 'Messrs. A. E. Keeling and Sons, haulage contractors, Kirlcstall Road, Leeds, are authorized to operate under an A licence.
Mr. Joseph Keeling, a member of the firm, informed a representative of The Commercial Motor, this week, that Messrs. Keeling will appeal against the Licensing Authority's decision.
Reckoning an articulated vehicle as two vehicles, the reduction is equivalent to six machines, or 12 tons.
As reported last week, the point put forward at the inquiry was that at no time during the past year had Road Fund licences been taken out in respect of more than 11 of Messrs. Keeling's 18 A-licence vehicles. When he informed our correspondent that his firm would appeal, Mr. Keeling emphasized the statement which he made at the inquiry —that all the vehicles could have been employed, but the firm refused to accept work at uneconomic rates. "Because we will not work at low rates, and, consequently, some of our vehicles are not in use, we are penalized by the authorities," he added.
"Operators with spare vehicles should take warning from this case," said Mr. Keeling, "for, if this line be followed generally, it means that all vehicles must have Road Fund licences, whether operated or not."
Mr. Keeling criticized the procedure in connection with the inquiry. Ile complained that before the proceedings opened, he had no knowledge that the question of reducing the number of his vehicles would be raised. He said that he was simply asked to produce the registration books and evidence of ownership.