Extra vehicles refused
Page 16
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• A history of maintenance problems has led the North Eastern Licensing Authority Keith Waterworth to turn down a bid for additional vehicles by Jacksons Transport (Ossett).
And Waterworth directed that the company's licence should terminate a year early at the end of October 1995.
The company applied to add five vehicles to its existing licence for 25 vehicles and 35 trailers. The LA advised it to apply again in three months' time, saying that he would react positively if a further Vehicle Inspectorate check revealed that new measures had proved effective.
Vehicle examiner Mark Millard said that during an unannounced fleet check in March he inspected 11 vehicles and nine trailers, imposing four immediate prohibitions, one delayed prohibition and eight defect notices. A number of the defects ought to have been picked up in daily checks by the drivers, said Millard.
The company was mainly involved in the transport of bulk liquids, including dangerous substances. A large number of prohibitions had been issued over the past five years, the majority being immediate.
He felt that the period between inspections of six weeks was too long and he criticised the fad that there was no follow up after brakes were re-lined_ After Roger Brackup, for the company, said inspection periods
had been reduced to five weeks, Millard accepted that all the ingredients of a first
class maintenance system were there.
Waterworth commented that, irrespective of the size of the fleet, the 13 imme diate prohibitions since November 1991 was a lot in anyone's judgement.
Managing director Alan Jackson said the workshop now operated 24 hours a day. They had found it necessary to dismiss one fitter. The business had expanded quickly over the past five years and it had become increasingly difficult for him to cope with everything himself. As a result an additional transport manager, Kevin Spate, had been taken on six months ago.
Six convictions, for overloading, excess smoke and failing to have tachographs checked and calibrated, had not been declared on the application form due to a clerical error.