Shorter licence for prohibitions
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• The licence of William Pringle of Christon Bank, near Mnwick, has been cut from 10 vehicles and 14 trailers to five vehicles and five trailers, by North Eastern Deputy Licensing Authority H Anthony Richardson after a series of prohibition notices.
Richardson said that an unsatisfactory fleet check had followed three warning letters about vehicle maintenance. Nine immediate and six delayed prohibitions, plus two variation notices, had been imposed over the past five years. One vehicle had not been taxed since February but had been seen in use in the Carlisle area in July.
DOT vehicle examiner Kenneth Erldess said that in June he examined three vehicles and three trailers, issuing two immediate prohibitions and a defect notice. Questioned by Gary Hodgson, for the company, Erkless said the maintenance facilities and staff ratio to vehicles were adequate. However, the number of prohibitions indicated something was wrong. One problem was that drivers had been reporting defects verbally.
Director and transport manager Richard Jeffrey said the vehicle prohibited in June for a defective tyre was a recovery vehicle that was rarely used. The trailer was prohibited for a defective parking brake cable. Trailer parking brakes were rarely used by drivers and that defect would have had no impact on road safety. There was now a written system of daily nil defect reporting and job cards had also been introduced. He would be happy if the licence authorisation was reduced to five vehicles and trailers.
Hodgson pointed out that there would be a further fleet inspection when the licence fell due for renewal next April. He said the tax problem arose when a 12-month tax disc was issued in error after only six months' duty had been paid.