Vehicles' condition belied the paperwork
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• The eight-vehicle fleet of a Brighton plant hire company was reduced by five vehicles for poor maintenance by Mr G. C. Mercer, South Eastern deputy LA at a public inquiry in Brighton, last week. Harman (Plant Hire) Ltd had been called under Section 69 to show reason why its licence authorizing 10 vehicles should not be revoked, suspended or curtailed.
Vehicle examiner Mr G. H. Catford told Mr Mercer that he had seen six of the eight vehicles and all had attracted prohibitions and one of them had been immediate. Of the vehicles remaining one had not been made available and the other one had been having attention in the company's workshop when he called.
The firm had undertaken to examine the vehicles every month but many of the defects should have been noticed if this had been done, said Mr Catford. Mainten ance facilities seemed adequate as did the staff — six skilled and one semi-skilled fitters. Maintenance records, too, seemed to be in order but the condition of the vehicles belied the paperwork. No drivers' defect reports were apparent.
A director, Mr J. Andrews said the company was essentially a plant hire firm and, till recently, had not operated haulage vehicles. In 13 years, the company had not had a major accident and was very safety conscious. The faults had arisen through inexperience.
Giving his decision, Mr. Mercer said that certain undertakings about vehicle maintenance had been given in the original licence application. These had not been carried out. He saw no alternative to reducing the number of specified vehicles but the company was at liberty to apply later to have the vehicles reinstated.