Cattons promises to improve system
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• A Wirral haulier who told North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Patrick Mulvenna that he was "not superman", escaped with a warning at a Trafford disciplinary inquiry.
David Catton and Maria Tankard, trading as Cattons, of Moreton, were before the Deputy Commissioner because of concern about maintenance standards and convictions for unauthorised use. He granted two vehicles and two trailers to its one-vehicle licence.
Vehicle examiner Geoffrey Chan said he had examined one vehicle and trailer in June and issued one immediate prohibition and a defect notice. The driver defect report system was not fully used and the inspection records were not satisfactory.
In reply to James Duckworth, for the firm, Chan said that only two prohibition notices had been issued over the past five years.
Catton said the convictions had arisen after he had failed to notify the Traffic Area of a change of vehicle. He had not notified the Commissioner of the convictions as he had not thought it necessary in this computerised age.
He had purchased an eightwheeled tipper in 1994 for £5,000 from a reputable dealer and was assured it was roadworthy, said Calton. It was stopped and given a prohibition the following day. He had got his fingers "severely burnt", said Catton. He had to sell the tipper for spares for £1,200 and had lost a lot of money.
Catton said he had been unaware of the importance of the paper trail: "My life has never revolved around paper. I'm a doer. I'm not superman but I will do my best to get this better.
The trailer given the prohibition in June for a chassis crossmember fracture had been thoroughly checked in April at the test station under the notifiable alteration procedure, said Duckworth. He said the crack had been very difficult to find.
Although he accepted the explanations, nonetheless the condition of their vehicles and trailers was the firm's responsibility, said Mulvenna.