Loose wheelnuts led to warning In addition to considering disciplinary
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action against the Wolverhampton-based company's licence, West Midland Traffic Commissioner John Mervyn Pugh considered a bid to increase the company's licence authorisation from 53 vehicles and 55 trailers to 63 vehicles and 55 trailers.
The TC pointed out that the company's vehicles had picked up a number of prohibitions, including two for a significant maintenance failure. Director David Kay said these were both for loose wheelnuts: the driver concerned had not carried out his checks properly. As a result he had been suspended for two days. He was a young man and felt he had benefited from the experience. The company had never had a problem with loose wheelnuts.
In reply to Mervyn Pugh, Kay said the majority of the company's fleet was under six years old. He had found the system of maintenance recommended by the West Midland Traffic Area to be cost-effective.
Taking no action other than to issue a warning, and granting the increase, Mervyn Pugh said he did not usually increase an operator's fleet when there had been a maintenance problem.
The company had been let down by the driver concerned. However, the TC decided it had tackled the problem in a reasonable way and the other prohibitions were not significant.