Yellow card for Breeze Haulage
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• Breeze Distribution, of Maghull, Liverpool, failed to win a licence for 20 vehicles and trailers following maintenance problems. Instead, North Western Licensing Authority Martin Albu granted one for just 12 vehicles and trailers The company was hoping to replace the licence held by its two directors, David Thirlwell and Joseph Clark, in the name of Breeze Haulage.
Vehicle examiner Eric Bober said five immediate prohibition notices and several defect notices had been imposed on the company's vehicles. The working environment was not compatible with good maintenance when he visited Breeze's premises in February. The parking area was water-logged and full of holes The workshop and inspection pit were oily and cluttered. No brake tests were being carried out and many of the dangerous defects related to brakes, said Bober.
A recent visit showed a vast improvement in the workshop but the outside area remained the same. The company had made arrangements to have its vehicles brake tested at the test station and Bober felt that positive efforts were being made to improve the situation.
Thirlwell said the company had tried to comply with mainte
nance regulations but was experiencing problems persuading drivers to write defects down. He accepted that the company had to get its maintenance right.
Clark said that the landlord was now improving the surface of the yard.
After Clark admitted that he also held a two-vehicle licence in the name of J&L Motors, Albu said that people could not hold two licences. He said Clark should not have been a partner in Breeze Haulage.
Granting a licence for 12 vehicles and trailers, Albu said the two men had received a warning in 1993, but it had not had much effect. He said the company could come back for more vehicles and trailers when it could show that it could maintain its existing fleet properly In effect, I am showing you the yellow card," said Albu. "If you come before me again you could lose your licence."