) urle loses six for three months
Page 23
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In a written decision last week the stern LA, Mr H. E. Robson, curtailed by
vehicles the licence of Purle Bros. oldings) Ltd of Rayleigh, for a ee-month period. The decision follows an uiry on July 13 (CM July 21).
In the same judgment a decision on an plication by the company for 10 new )0gal tankers is adjourned pending tification by the company of provements planned for its Rayleigh 3ot.
In his decision Mr Robson refers to 57 )hibitions issued against Purle's Vehicles (current fleet 109 vehicles and four trailers) since 1967 and comments that the conditions of vehicles varied considerably from time to time and depot to depot. "There was definite evidence of dangerous and unsatisfactory conditions in 1969 and even more so in the current year up to May." The Attleborough (Norfolk) depot is singled out for having a particularly bad record which Mr Robson attributes to a failure of management: "I was not satisfied that at the material time there were arrangements at Attleborough which would have revealed the deterioration in maintenance which in my view must have been going on for some time prior to the fleet inspection by my traffic examiners."
In conclusion Mr Robson commends the Purle management for treating the inquiry as a very serious matter and for dealing with the issues raised in a highly responsible way. He accepts all the many changes they have made to improve matters.
On Saturday, Mr Richard Hawkins, company lawyer for Purle, said that no decision had been reached on a possible appeal.