Albu demands fleet check before renewal
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• The poor quality of inspections carried out by a C ommercial garage was blamed for prohibitions imposed on vehicles operated by Thomas Bolton, trading as Boltons Transport, of Rishton, Blackburn, when he appeared at a Manchester disciplinary inquiry.
Vehicle examiner Robert Stewart said that in March he examined three vehicles and one trailer, issuing two immediate prohibitions for defects relating to steering and brakes.
The inspection records did not reflect the condition of the vehicles. The record for one vehicle showed no defects, yet the following day it was given an immediate prohibition at an annual test.
In his opinion the lack of good quality inspection work and inadequate maintenance arrangements had contributed to the unsatisfactory condition of the vehicles and trailers.
Questioned by Michael Cunningham, for Bolton, Stewart said he was aware the work was done by Riverside Commercials, of Rishton—a firm of some repute. The problems related to the driver defect reporting system and to the quality of the inspections being carried out.
Bolton said that so far this year he had spent £53,711.56 with Riverside Commercials.
He had told them that he was unhappy about a number of failures and they had acknowledged that. He had employed a consultant to reorganise the driver defect reporting system. Brake testing was a bit of a problem, said Bolton, as they had to go to another commercial garage.
Michael Stinson told the LA he ran a firm dealing with tachograph analysis and maintenance systems.
He had introduced daily and weekly check sheets for the drivers and he intended to keep all the maintenance paperwork up to date. He would be speaking to Riverside Commercials soon and would continue to monitor their performance.
Cutting the licence authorisation from 12 vehicles and eight trailers to nine vehicles and eight trailers, Albu said that he would require a fleet check before the company's licence came up for renewal in September.