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TC censures firm with dismal record
Page 19
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Welsh TC David Dixon has cut the 0-licence held by Saltney-based George Mayers (North-West) due to maintenance problems. At a Mold disciplinary inquiry, the TO restricted the licence from 10 vehicles and 17 trailers to seven vehicles and 14 trailers.
The TO said that following a public inquiry in July 1997 everything had been fine for a couple of years, but things had started to go "pear shaped" again. Vehicle examiner David Rowlands reported that 22 prohibitions had been imposed on the company's vehicles and trailers over the past five years, including 12 since the previous inquiry when the licence was cut from 20 vehicles and 35 trailers to 10 vehicles and 17 trailers, with a further five vehicles being suspended for three weeks.
Rowlands added that the problem might be the number and age of the vehicles, coupled with staffing problems. The stated inspection period of six weeks was, in practice, becoming eight to nine weeks. "The company's record over the past five years can only be described as dismal," he said.
MD Barry Mayers claimed that the company had suffered a high turnover of fitters. His brother Keith, who was an experienced fitter, was now in charge of maintenance. They had already replaced two of the oldest vehicles and intended to replace two more. New trailers were also in the pipeline.
"tt's not effort but achievement on which you are judged in this," the TO replied. 'Road safety is absolute. if you are an operator you have to have your vehicles on the road in good condition, no matter how difficult that may be."
He warned that if the company faced a third public inquiry where maintenance was an issue, its licence would probably be revoked.