Problem with maintenance Haulier made false
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• A Cumbrian haulier, who had a 28-year trouble-free record until he decided to maintain his own vehicles, escaped with a warning at a Trafford disciplinary inquiry. Keith Law, trading as Keith Law Haulage, of Workington, appeared before
North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Patrick Mulvenna. Vehicle examiner Sydney Challacombe said he carried out a maintenance investigation in November following the issue of an immediate prohibition in October for a significant maintenance failure. It listed 15 long-standing defects. The two vehicles he examined were satisfactory but there was no written driver defect reporting system. The maintenance arrangements were unsatisfactory as there were no facilities for checking under the chassis. Inspections were being carried out by Law, who was not a skilled mechanic, rather than the nominated commercial garage. There had been no complaints about Law's operations until lost October, said Challacombe, the only other prohibition being a delayed one in April 1994. Law said he had held a licence since about 1 970 and had not had any previous problems. He had moved from his nominated operating centre about 12 months ago because of vandalism and theft problems. He had not realised he needed to notify the deputy TC but had now submitted a variation application.
The vehicle given the delayed prohibition in 1 994 had passed its annual test only three or four days before, said Law. Following the issue of the prohibition in October he had contracted the maintenance out to a commercial garage. He was also introducing a written drivers' defect reporting system and planned to replace the vehicle that had received the prohibition notices within the next three month s.The Fact that he had been called to public inquiry had led to sleepless nights, said Law. If his licence was curtailed or suspended he would be out of business.
Asked why he had changed his maintenance arrangements, Law said: "For financial reasons, really." Financial evidence was heard in private at Law's request. The deputy IC said in the light of the undertaking he had been given in private he would leave finance for the time being in the hope that things would improve.