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LA WARNS CO-OP: YOUR EXISTENCE IN PERIL
Page 51
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THE chief officer of Weymouth and District Co-operative Society was warned by Western LA Mr. J. R. Samuel-Gibbon at Bristol on Friday that if ever his Society was before the court again on similar charges "the very existence of the business will be gravely imperilled".
Mr. Dennis Wright, manager and secretary, was appearing on behalf of the Society at a Section 178 inquiry.
Mr. Alfred Charles Brisland, vehicle examiner for the Dorchester district of the Western traffic area, said the Society had 51 vehicles on B licence, 16 of which were electric milk floats. He had issued 31 prohibition orders since December 2, nine of which were immediate. Roadside checks had resulted in two prohibition orders and the remainder followed a fleet inspection which he had conducted at the Society's premises over a period of three weeks.
"Everyday maintenance appeared to be slight," said Mr. Brisland, "and all the vehicles required thorough lubrication. Most of the defects arose through Lack of this".
He said the Society had maintenance sheets which worked on a three-monthly basis, or around 1,500 miles, but the system had broken down and the vehicles were not coming in at three months.
Of the nine immediate orders issued, five referred to vehicles which were dangerous and should not have been on the road.
Mr. Wright said he was "very shocked" when he received the examiner's report. "I have introduced a check of one vehicle per day which takes care of all our vehicles over a period of two months," he said. "I have also asked an outside firm to make a check on the work being done, and I am getting a report every week from the clerk in charge of the transport department".
Mr. Samuel-Gibbon said he had been set a problem. "You knew these prohibitions were being enforced, starting at the end of January," he said. "Between the end of January and February an enormous number of prohibitions were being enforced, but it was not until March 20 that you instituted your regular maintenance system".
Mr. Wright: During that period our mechanics were busy getting these delayed prohibitions back on the road to get the delivery service going. I couldn't introduce the system until these vehicles were fit for service as soon as possible.
The LA: The impression 1 get is that until Mr. Brisland came along you had no effective system of maintenance.
Mr. Wright: I was under the impression it was operating. There were always a couple of vehicles in the garage.
Mr. Samuel-Gibbon said it was disturbing to realize that all the publicity given to the need for proper maintenance seemed to have had little effect in this case.
He added: "I have in this case to impose a penalty because I must take a very serious view, but I do not want to make the customers suffer".
Ordering the suspension of the Society's licence for one grocery van for a period of three months with effect from April 3 and licences for two coal delivery vehicles for three months with effect from May 1, he said to Mr. Wright: "The more frequently you are seen in the garage in future the better".
GO-AHEAD FOR EYMS
THE Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners have granted an application by East Yorkshire Motor Services Ltd. to discontinue dozens of uneconomic bus routes in many parts of East Yorkshire. Exceptions have been made in certain specific cases of a number of village services which have been retained on grounds of social need.
Giving their decision last week the Commissioners said loading figures justified the EYMS action.
18-VEHICLE SUSPENSION
THE North Western deputy LA, Mr. A. H. Jaffe, in a written decision this week suspended 18 of the Rossmun Haulage Co. Ltd. 55-vehicle Contract A fleet for four months, following a Section 178 inquiry (COMMERCIAL MOTOR., March 10).