More time for investigation
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• A Morecambe operator who appeared at her
third public inquiry in three years has had her disciplinary proceedings adjourned "with some reluctance" by North
Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Alan Cattell, Violet Hammond, trading as Hammond Gates, of Morecambe, was called before the Deputy TC because of concern about the condition of her vehicles.
Seeking an adjournment, John Backhouse, for Hammond, said that an earlier request for an adjournment had been refused. He added that Hammond had only received just over a fortnight's notice of the inquiry and that there had been insufficient time to obtain evidence from the garage carrying out her maintenance or to obtain records from her accountant.
Backhouse added that he had just been told that the Deputy TC was to take into account a further prohibition notice.
Time was needed to investi gate the circumstances surrounding that notice, which he understood had been placed on a trailer being carried piggy back on another trailer.
After Cattell had said that he felt that in the interests of road safety the matter ought to proceed, Backhouse pointed out that the vehicle examiner's report was dated the end of April, yet the Licensing Review Board had not taken the decision to call Hammond to a public inquiry until the beginning of August. The concerns about road safety could not be so great, he added, considering the period of time it had taken to bring Hammond before a public inquiry Hammond's transport manager was now 71 years of age and he felt that he was to blame that the documentation was not up to scratch, said Backhouse.
Hammond had decided that one of her driyers,who was a CPC holder and had at one time run six vehicles of his own, should take over that responsibility.
Cattell agreed, with some reluctance, to adjourn the proceedings until 10 October.