Get-tough licence policy looms la
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TRAFFIC Commissioners will tighten up on public service vehicle operation under the 1980 Act when operator licensing comes in and the position of all operators will be looked at afresh on April 1, West Midland Traffic Commissioners chairman Arthur Crabtree warned last week.
The Commissioners are considering suspending or revoking the five psv licences held by Dennis D. Buchanan of Stretton and Sugwas, Hereford after vehicle examiner Herbert Stone said he carried out an investigation following the imposition of an immediate suspension notice to one of Mr Buchanan's vehicles in November.
The maintenance arrangements made in July 1980 had lapsed and during his examine tion of the vehicles he imposed one delayed and two immediate suspension notices.
In evidence, Mr Buchanan said he had operated heavy goods vehicles for 15 years and minibuses for five without any problems. He had used maintenance facilities at a factory belonging to a relative but when he bought larger coaches two of them could not be accommodated.
He arranged for the use of the seller's maintenance facilities but that permission was withdrawn after a month. Subsequently Mr Buchanan stated, arrangements had been made for a commercial garage to carry out inspections.
He had bought the larger coaches believing them to be roadworthy, but in fact had spent £2,500 on one vehicle before it was fit to go on the road, Mr Crabtree commented that if Mr Buchanan bought substandard coaches he had to take the consequences.
Issuing a warning, Mr Crabtree said the Commissioners had given serious thought to revoking Mr Buchanan's licences altogether. They were not satisfied with the way that he was operating and unless matters improved by April 1 deadline his 0licence would be revoked.