Browns Mechanical Services of Burslem, Stokeon-Trent has had its licence
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suspended for three weeks after appearing at its second public inquiry over maintenance in 18 months.
In addition, West Midland Traffic Commissioner David Dixon cut the firm's licence authorisation from three vehicles and one trailer to two and one respectively.
The company appeared before Deputy TC Roger Seymour in November 1999 following 24 prohibition notices and a conviction for using a dangerous vehicle. At that time the licence was curtailed from 10 vehicles to six and suspended for a week.
Vehicle examiner Harry Marsh said that in the past five years 17 prohibitions had been issued to the company's vehicles, all maintenance related, including three showing significant failures of the mainte nance system.
In February he examined three vehicles, issuing one immediate Smarked prohibition and one delayed prohibition. None of the defects listed on the immediate prohibition were recorded on the inspection record dated 27 January.
The TC commented that in November 1999 the company had undertaken to have its vehicles inspected every two weeks and to carry out regular roller brake tests.
Marsh said; "Though the rate of prohibitions has reduced, the problem still appears to be there."
Director Keith Brown maintained that inspections had been carried out every two to three weeks and that the firm had been using the local council's rolling road brake tester. He admitted that the vehicle given the immediate prohibition had not had a safety inspection 27 January—he said he kn. the vehicle examiner was co ing and he panicked.
However, the TC said: responsible operator and t nominated transport manaE should not panic. People w panic are not good operator The TC concluded: "Really, be honest, Mr Brown, this is jt not good enough. It is very mu in your hands. You have got do it properly. It is the IE chance saloon this time."