Warning for Duckworth
Page 18
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• Manchester scrap metal merchants Bob Duckworth & Co escaped with a warning at disciplinary proceedings before North Western LA Martin Albu. The company had been called before the LA following an immediate prohibition and a delayed prohibition.
Director Geoff Howarth said he had financed the business for his brother to run. Unfortunately his brother had become permanently ill and he had been forced to take over the reins and educate himself about transport.
Two old vehicles had been scrapped. The company had paid £35,000 for a K-registered vehicle and had another on order.
A further vehicle was being restored by its maintenance contractors. The plan was to apply for a third vehicle so it would have a spare, which would help with maintenance.
The LA pointed out that the company needed to make a variation application straight away as it would take nine weeks to process.
Howarth said that the vehicles would be inspected every six weeks. The drivers kept a daily record and at the weekend
checked one another's vehicles on a weekly sheet. Albu commented that this sounded like a good system.
In reply to the LA, Howarth said that everything had been done since the vehicle examiner's visit in August. The vehicle that had caused all the problems had been scrapped. A conviction for overloading had arisen because the yard manager had miscalculated the amount that could be carried. The conviction had not been notified to the Traffic Area as Howarth had assumed that one Government department would notify another.
The company was clearly on a learning curve, said Albu. Vehicle maintenance was important and a vehicle overloaded by four tonnes was a danger on the road.