Haulage will depend on good maintenance
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• After hearing submissions in two cases called under Section 178 that uncertainty regarding changes in regulations was hindering vehicle replacement and improvements to maintenance facilities, Mr. H. E. Robson, Yorkshire LA, declared in Leeds last week: "If there is one area that is least subject to uncertainty, it is this area of maintenance. It is one of the things on which the very continuance of haulage businesses in the future might well depend."
J. B. Midgley and Sons Ltd., Leeds, between mid-1965 and October 1967 had received 25 prohibitions on its A-licensed fleet of 17 vehicles and eight trailers, of which 12 had been immediate. There had been a fleet inspection last December when 19 prohibitions had been issued among the 21 vehicles examined. This had prompted a radical reappraisal of its maintenance and a new system had been introduced, said Mr. J. B. Midgley, director. Full employment made recruitment of the right type of man difficult and the staff was mainly engaged on corrective maintenance brought about by vehicle mishandling.
Mr. Robson emphasized that systematic vigilance was required and said he proposed to suspend three vehicles for three months.
Maude Bros. (Contractors) Ltd., of Leeds, also had its licence temporarily curtailed. Two vehicles were suspended for two months. Between September and December last year it had received seven GV9s, of which four had been immediate, and at a fleet inspection on December 22 the whole fleet of eight B-licensed tippers had been examined and all had been prohibited, four immediately The firm's leading mechanic had been from June to December and all mainten ance left to his assistant, said Mr. D Pontefract, general manager. But since the] he had taken over responsibility and tight ened up the routine. The firm hoped ti replace all eight vehicles within the nex 15 months but wanted to ensure that equip ment would not become obsolete under th proposed quality licensing system.
Mr. Robson also took punitive actio against J. Harper of East Cottingwortk under Section 174, by refusing to renew B licence for two vehicles. Before the la. inquiry a fleet inspection had revealed ur satisfactory maintenance standards, he sal( and at a further examination in Decembei six out of seven vehicles had been prohibitec