B'S Truck left in the road
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• A Lancashire international haulier, who operated for 18 years without being given a single prohibition, has had his licence revoked following a dis pute over maintenance and the use of his operating centre.
Neil Ratcliffe, trading as Ratcliffe Haulage, of Breightmet. Bolton, held an international licence authorising the operation of six vehicles and six trailers.
Vehicle examiner Colin Waddilove told North Western Traffic Commissioner Keith Waterworth that he carried out a maintenance investigation following Ratcliffe's conviction for having no road tax. The one vehicle being operated was in a satisfactory condition. At first Ratcliffe refused to produce maintenance records. When Waddilove saw them the follow ing day he found that mileages were omitted and few defects were listed. There was no driver defect reporting system because Ratcliffe believed that as an owner-driver he did not need one.
The approved operating centre was not being used, and Ratcliffe said he had no intention of using it and that he would rather get parking tickets, said Waddilove. The vehicle was being parked in the road outside Ratcliffe's council house. He was obstructive and ion argumentative, and was
adamant that in future visits by Vehicle Inspectorate staff would be on his terms. Waddilove had been close to reporting him for obstruction.
Ratcliffe said he did not consider that a visit at 10:30hrs was reasonable when he had been working until 04:00hrs. He could not guarantee the vehicle's safety at his approved centre.
He had ceased trading and surrendered his licence four weeks ago, but the TC said he was not prepared to accept its surrender.
Admitting he had been ordered to pay fines, costs and back duty of £656, Ratcliffe said he had arranged to pay it off monthly He had been unable to tax the vehicle because of difficulty getting L11,500 from a customer. He agreed he had not provided the financial information requested.
Revoking the licence on financial grounds, Waterworth also took account of the conviction and the misuse of the operating centre. Though Ratcliffe deserved credit for operating for 18 years without a single prohibition, that record was outweighed by the other matters.