restricted licence whose operations were said to have been "in
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considerable disarray" has had its licence suspended for a week. Huddersfield-based Deluxe Beds, which holds a licence for two vehicles, had been called before North Eastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Brian Horner at a Leeds disciplinary inquiry.
Vehicle examiner Anthony Fielding said he examined the company's two vehicles in December, issuing one with an immediate prohibition because of damage caused in an accident in November. It looked as if the vehicle had been used in that condition.
An undertaking to have the vehicles inspected every six weeks had been broken: one vehicle went four months between checks. There was no forward planning or driver defect-reporting system. Maintenance was contracted out to a garage in Barnsley.
The Deputy TC said the company had a warning letter about maintenance in December 1996.
Maintenance contractor Stanley Wright felt the problem was that the company's director was not very conversant with the English language. Since the vehicle examiner's visit, a new transport manager/driver, Michael Watson, had been appointed and a proper maintenance system was now in place.
Suspending the licence, the Deputy TO said it was a wander more prohibitions had not been issued. The firm had clearly flouted the licensing system.