Maintenance deadline
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• North Western LA Martin Albu has given Bangor-based Thomas Williams six months to show that he can maintain his vehicle properly.
Vehicle examiner John Brown told a Manchester public inquiry that the only vehicle in Williams' possession was given an immediate prohibition for seven dangerous items at a roadside check in November.
The vehicle was not allowed to be driven away and had to be collected by a recovery vehicle. When presented for clearance in December, the prohibition was varied for three dangerous defects and four delayed items.
Williams had said that he had only just repurchased the vehicle, having sold it to his son in November 1989. It was subsequently sold again.
Between 1986 and 1989 there were a total of 22 immediately dangerous defects and 21 delayed.
For Williams, it was said that he had been an owner-driver until being disqualified from driving for 18 months in January 1986. During that time the vehicle was used by his son and someone else on his behalf, and he had thought that the maintenance of the vehicle was their responsibility. He was not made aware of the prohibition notices until some time later.
Williams promised to maintain the vehicle himself in future, using the facilities of a commercial garage, and he would then have the vehicle checked by a commercial vehicle repairer.
Questioned by the LA, Williams maintained that he had never received the warning letters, saying that the Traffic Area had got his address wrong. His son did not hold an 0-licence. He had two licence discs, but was operating only one vehicle. He had disposed of the second vehicle but had kept the disc in case of a breakdown.
Curtailing the licence to one vehicle, and cutting the duration so that it expired in December, Albu said that Williams had not paid much attention to the law. He was still not convinced there was a proper arrangement for inspections and be advised Williams to buy the DTp guide to maintenance. Williams had six months to get it right and he must work within the system.