Suspension penalty
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• "The company takes the view that the court has been lenient and there will be no appeal.'" So said Mr. B. Bush, appearing for Raymond E. Rhodes (Bradford) Ltd. called before the Yorkshire LA, Mr. H. E. Robson, at Leeds last week under a section 178 inquiry in respect of three vehicles.
Mr. Robson said two immediate prohibition notices and one delayed had been served in June and he had to consider the public element of danger.
Mr. Bush explained that although associated with a group, his client, the Bradford company, which traded as a wholesaler in fruit, vegetables and flowers, was a small firm with a small staff. Nobody had any mechania. cal knowledge. Although the drivers reported defects and took vehicles to a garage at their discretion, the company acknowledged that some defects had not received attention. Rhodes had now applied for quarterly inspection under the TRTA scheme. In reply to Mr. Robson's question as to the action to be taken in between quarterly inspections, Mr. Bush said the cashier would be responsible.
Rhodes' cashier, Mr. J. A. Butcher, said produce was fetched from ports and growers and delivered to shops within 30 miles of Bradford. At a -£50 charge, excluding fuel, a 30cwt vehicle had been hired for less than a fortnight and that would not be done indefinitely. The drivers were not experts mechani
cally; some defects had not been spotted by them and the company accepted responsibility. Except under prohibition the vehicles had not been out of service very much and in 20 years there had been no accident of a serious nature. Mr. Butcher apologised for the absence of the two working directors because of illness.
Mr. Dobson said that the position for a firm depending on its vehicles had been unsatisfactory and unless defects were put in hand the TRTA scheme would not help. The company realized its responsibility and one vehicle would be deleted from the licence, for one month with effect from the first Monday in January and there would be a vehicle inspection in six months' time.
The LA added a warning on the effect of the new legislation.