Maintenance failures
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%II 'At • A series of prohibition notices has led to the authorisation on the licence held by JW Gaskell, of Ormskirk, being cut from 10 vehicles and five trailers to the eight vehicles and three trailers the company has in possession.
North Western Traffic Commissioner Martin Albu has also cut the duration of the licence so that it expires at the end of September, instead of at the end of May 1994.
Vehicle examiner Eric Bober said that following an immediate prohibition during a roadside check, a fleet inspection in April 1991 resulted in the issue of three immediate prohibitions. A further investigation in June 1992 led to the issue of three immediate and four delayed prohibitions. The preventative maintenance system had not been improved since April 1991. Maintenance was still being carried out by a freelance fitter using the company's limited facilities. A check over the Christmas period led to one immediate and two delayed prohibitions being issued. Since 1988 there had been eight immediate and 10 delayed prohibitions imposed on Gaskell vehicles.
The vehicles were new and not tatty, said Bober. The freelance fitter was excellent at his job. It was the lack of facilities which was causing the company's downfall.
Director Eric Smales said one of the vehicles prohibited in June had not been in use. An inspection pit was to be installed in the garage in the near future, and brakes and lights would be checked at the test station.
Smales said the company had not informed the Traffic Area about five overloading convictions as they had been DOT prosecutions, and the overloading had been overcome by upgrading two Scania vehicles which had been to blame.
Albu cut the licence and said maintenance had been a problem for the past two years. However, measures had now been taken to rectify the situation.