Short of qualified staff? Court corrects Then reduce fleet, says LA Keaney fine
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• At a public inquiry held in Plymouth on Tuesday the Western Licensing Authority, Maj-Gen Sir John Potter, said he appreciated the difficulties operators might experience in obtaining suitably qualified staff to maintain their vehicles. Nevertheless, if companies found themselves unable to get staff to keep their vehicles properly maintained they had to reduce their vehicle strength.
Sir John also pointed out that if he had to choose between taking vehicles off the roads — and in consequence somebody had to go short of meat — as against properly maintained vehicles, he would not hesitate to take the former course.
Launceston Abattoir Co Ltd, of Launceston, had been called to the public inquiry concerning the renewal of its licence following the issuing of five immediate and six delayed prohibitions.
A DoE vehicle examiner said that the vehicles were covering a large mileage and in consequence considerable maintenance was necessary. Only one fitter was 'employed to look after 13 specified vehicles and he was stretched to the utmost limits. In fact he was working seven days a week in order to keep the vehicles serviced.
Mr J. Medland, a director of the company, said that since the visit of the vehicle examiner a special ramp had been ordered at considerable cost to ease undervehicle inspection.
In deciding to limit the renewal application of the licence for 17 vehicles to 13 vehicles, the LA said he was greatly concerned with the prohibitions. It was no good having maintenance facilities if they were not used and drivers had to be told that they must be sure to report defects between the regular inspections.
He also warned the company there there must be a great improvement in the maintenance of its vehicles if it wanted additional vehicles in the future or for that matter to retain the 13 vehicles he had now granted.
• Bamber Bridge, Lancs, magistrates have indicated to the parties concerned that an error was made when assessing the total of fines, costs and back duty payable by J. Keaney and Sons, Hoghton, near Preston, following prosecution by the police on charges concerning more than 1000 road traffic offences (CM last week).
The corrected total amount is £3,160.44 and not £3,887.50, as first announced. The individual corrected totals are Michael Charles Keaney £1,294.37, Joseph Benedict Keaney £1,217.37 and John Keaney £648.70.
The magistrates say that wrong totals were arrived at through some fines being included twice.