Limited renewal ruling
Page 10
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• Worcester-based coach operator C N Jones, an associate of Swanbrook Coaches, of Cheltenham, has had its ninevehicle licence renewed for 12 months only, by West Midlands Traffic Commissioner John Mervyn Pugh.
The company had been called before the Commissioner because of maintenance problems. In May, Swanbrook's own licence had its duration reduced, in the light of its maintenance record, by Western Traffic Commissioner Major General John Carpenter (CM 26 May 1 June).
Mervyn Pugh said that this was the fourth time the company had appeared at public inquiry since December 1985, and on the last two occasions the licence had been renewed for 12 months only.
Director Donald Thomas said that since the vehicle examiner's visit in January, when two prohibitions were issued, there had been two further visits when nothing had been found wrong with the vehicles or records. The defects found in January were ones that could have arisen since the previous inspection of the vehicles concerned. Jones was not getting the problems with the vehicles they had been getting 18 months to two years ago.
Mervyn Pugh warned that the company had to run its fleet so that it did not attract any prohibition notices that indicated neglect.
The company was operating old vehicles and it had to realise that they required more maintenance.
After Thomas had indicatea that he was prepared to have the vehicles inspected every two weeks, reintroduce a system of nil daily defect reporting by drivers using simple duplicate books, and write a letter indicating to drivers what was required of them, The West Midland Traffic Commissioner said he was prepared to give the company a final chance.
He issued a warning that a recent Transport Tribunal decision indicated that any vehicle kept at an operating centre must at all times be kept 100% roadworthy. If the company had any broken down vehicles at its base, it must either get rid of them or repair them.
It would be a tragedy if the company came unstuck because of old broken down vehicles in its yard.