AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Three Months' Suspension for Three A Vehicles

5th May 1961, Page 69
5th May 1961
Page 69
Page 69, 5th May 1961 — Three Months' Suspension for Three A Vehicles
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

RETURNING to the West Midland Traffic Area for one day in the capacity of deputy, Mr. W. P. James, the former Licensing Authority, suspended three A-licensed vehicles belonging to Mr. J. Westwood, trading as Harrold and Westwooci, Old Hill, Staffs, for a period of three months, at a Birmingham inquiry on Monday under Section 178 (I) of the Road Traffic Act, 1960.

This was an example, said Mr. James, of irregularity which was becoming far too common; one haulier assuming control of another's vehicles and using them in breach of the declaration of normal user. Although any penalty ought to be shared it was contended that. the vehicles had been operated on behalf of the licence-holder and in the absence of evidence to the contrary he must be held wholly responsible.

Mr. Westwood said he had been in long-distance haulage since before 1930 and had always believed the scope of an A licence was unlimited. When the 25-mile restriction was lifted after denationalization, he thought the SINCE the opening of the Road Research Laboratory's track at Crowthorne last October, a number of experiments have been carried out using the new facilities. To show some of the everyday work being done, open days were held yesterday and Wednesday at Crowthorne and at the Materials, Construction and Tropical division at Harmondsworth.

The experiments being conducted were described in detail in The Commercial Motor, April 22, 1960, and a number of these experiments were demonstrated at Crowthorne during the open days.

They were concerned with the electronic guidance of vehicles, skidding, shattered windscreens. the legibility of traffic signs. lamp-posts under crash impact, on-the-spot accident investigations, automatic detection of congestion, vehiclescould go anywhere. After a serious illness his three flat vehicles were hired to a Mr. Arthur Smith, Watering Lane, Birmingham, 9; they worked for his own customers, but Smith was told they were on unlimited A licence.

The vehicles had not been used since January, when he was visited by enforcement officers and told they were operating in breach of the normal user, for local work, attached to his whole fleet of eight A-licensed vehicles. They were still at Smith's premises.

Questioned by Mr. James, be said he had never sought legal advice. If the vehicles were suspended instead of removed from the licence he would replace them by tippers used on local work.

Suspending the three vehicles until the end of July, Mr. James said there was no excuse for Smith who should have obtained precise information about the normal user. The vehicles must be removed from Smith's premises and the decision depended on satisfactory proof that the vehicles had not been used since January.

studying drivers' actions, and a safer means of controlling traffic lights.

Displays were given of the Maxaret anti-skid braking device fitted to the Ferguson car, which is shortly to be announced. The system operates by releasing the pressure in the braking system when the wheels slow down at more than a predetermined rate. Also shown was a car electronically controlled by two detectors below the front bumper, which pick up impulses from a guide-wire buried 3 in. under the surface of the road.

EXHIBITION CANCELLED

I T has been announced by the Perkins Group that the "Power by Perkins" exhibition which was to have taken place at Brands Hatch from June 12 to 17 has been cancelled.

Tags

Organisations: Licensing Authority
Locations: Birmingham

comments powered by Disqus