Highland hauliers neglecting safety

22nd September 1972, Page 355

22nd September 1972

Page 355

Page 355, 22nd September 1972 — Highland hauliers neglecting safety

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Too many goods vehicle operators in the icottish Highlands are neglecting safety, he LA, Mr Alex Birnie, said in Inverness in September 21 when he dealt with four irms called before him under Section 69.

"I'm getting rather concerned at the lumber of people I am required to see in :nverness", said Mr Birnie, who presided at ;imilar sessions in June and July.

He said he had been hoping that, with the Dumber of cases coming up, goods vehicle operators would be getting a better idea of safety requirements.

He described as "pitiful" a vehicle inspection carried out by Mr Kevin Stewart, Df the Gairloch Construction Co Ltd, who passed a lorry as fit the same day as the vehicle examiner found 14 defects.

Mr Birnie curtailed the company's licence from four to three vehicles, the number it was actually using, and suspended the licence for one of the remaining vehicles for four months.

Alexander Bartlett, Urray, Muir of Ord, Ross-shire, had the licence of one of his three vehicles suspended for four months after Mr Birnie heard there had been a case of overloading and one where a vehicle was prohibited for three defects, each sufficient to cause prohibition.

J.A. Robertson and Co (Fruiterers), Inverness, had their licence for eight vehicles reduced to four for two weeks when it was said that one vehicle which was immediately prohibited was taken on the road by mistake.

James Fraser and Co, Beauly, had the licence on one of their four vehicles suspended for two months because a van which had been prohibited had been passed as fit by a garage only two weeks before a large number of defects were found.