LA apologises for dela
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• Burscoughbased Anthony Bridge, trading as Doyen Transport, received a public apology from North Western Licensing Authority Martin Albu for the time taken to deal with his case, when he appeared at an Ormskirk public inqui Bridge, who was seeking to increase the authorisation on his licence from one vehicle and two trailers to three vehicles and four trailers, had been called to a disciplinary inquiry following an unsatisfactory maintenance investigation.
Apologising for what he described as an unconscionable delay in bringing Bridge to a public inquiry, Albu said that the maintenance investigation was carried out last August, yet the public inquiry was only now being held. That was not the kind of response he liked to see.
Department of Transport vehicle examiner Eric Bober said that in August he imposed an immediate prohibition on a semitrailer for serious brake defects. The maintenance arrangements had been flimsy, with inspections carried out by three different freelance fitters and an unnamed person.
Bridge said that he had not had any problems before.
The trailer had been used by another firm for about six weeks and had only been returned the night before it was seen by the vehicle examiner. Maintenance had now been contracted out to a commercial garage.
Taking no action, and granting the additional vehicles and trailers, Albu said he did not know why Bridge had not made those arrangements before. However, Bridge now seemed to have taken on board the advice given.