1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152 
Unsatisfactory maintenance
Page 21
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A Cross Keys owner-driver said to have had "nine brushes with the Vehicle inspectorate in five years" has had his licence suspended for two weeks by Welsh Traffic Commissioner David lixon. Derek Huisti, trading as D&D Transport. appeared iefore the TC at a Pontypridd disciplinary inquiry.
Vehicle examiner Robert Williams said there had been a ieries of unsatisfactory maintenance reports aver the last five years. Over the same period the tractor had an nitial test failure rate of 100%; the trailer had a failure 'ate of 75%. Since 1996 the vehicle and trailer had tttracted four immediate and four delayed prohibitions.
Huish had taken advice and the situation was improving, Williams added. Huish was willing to reduce the agreed inspection periods from six to four weeks: it seemed he had been unaware that prohibitions were being issued when his maintenance contractor had taken the artic for test. Defects found when it was presented for test included loose wheelnuts, a cracked windscreen, play in the steering, tyres worn below the legal limit and oil leaks.
Huish accepted some of the criticism and now realised the importance of maintenance.
The IC commented that road safety had been put at risk because the vehicle and trailer had not been receiving the maintenance they should.
Terry Vaux, appearing for Huish, said he had relied on his maintenance contractor. He was anxious to get things right and wanted to ensure that the shortcomings were eradicated. What had occurred had been a shock and it had frightened Huish. He was hoping to by a new vehicle and he had learned his lesson.
Suspending the licence, and directing that the Vehicle Inspectorate should carry out a further maintenance Investigation in six months' time, the IC remarked that there had been something amiss on each of the vehicle's nine brushes with the VI. That should have alerted Huish that there had not been sufficient Improvement.