Licence suspended over maintenance
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• Continunig maintenance problems have led to the licence and community authorisations held by Staffordshire haulier Graham Cork being suspended for a week by West Midland Deputy Traffic Commissioner Alan Cattell.
Lichfield-based Cork, who holds an international licence for six vehicles and six trailers, appeared before the Deputy IC at a Birmingham disciplinary inquiry. The authorisation on his licence had been reduced from eight vehicles and eight trailers at a previous disciplinary inquiry in 1996 following the issue of a number of prohibition notices.
Vehicle examiner Colin Morley said that 10 spot checks had led to four immediate and two delayed prohibitions. He would not expect to see any prohibitions if the vehicles were being properly inspected every seven days, as had been agreed at the last public inquiry
Cork said he had fought a horrendous battle with the local council, who had tried to close the business down. He had operated from Orchard Farm, Streethay, for 22 years and the council had now issued a lawful use certificate. The battle had cost thousands, and at one stage the council had stopped him from using his own garage. lie had not wanted to purchase new equipment until he was sure he had
somewhere to keep it.
He had now bought five new tractor units and the sixth would be replaced shortly He had spent more than £80,000 on renewing the fleet In the past they had hauled customers' trailers but he was in the process of buying his own trailers.
Cork claimed that the recent prohibitions had been due to damage caused when vehicles were hauled on and off tips on a waste contract. That contract had now finished and he did not intend to undertake that type of work again.
Suspending the licence, Cattell said the fact that more prohibitions had been issued since the last public inquiry was serious and unacceptable. He had to say that Cork's maintenance had been "pretty poor".
Calling for a further maintenance investigation within three months, Cattell warned that unless Cork tightened up his maintenance dramatically, licence revocation would be hanging over his head.