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Maintenance offences cost firm increase in licence authority
Page 33
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A STRING OF maintenance offences has stopped a Wigan construction firm winning an increase in its licence authority from eight to 10 vehicles.
Irwin Plant & Equipment Services was called before NorthWesternTraffic Commissioner Beverley Bell following maintenance problems for the second time in a year. As well as disciplinary action, the TC was considering an application to increase the licence authorisation from eight vehicles and one trailer to 10 vehicles and three trailers.
ln the event she refused the application but took no further action.
Vehicle examiner Paul Harrison said that in March he examined live vehicles, issuing two immediate prohibitions, including one for an air leak. Since the last public inquiry in July 2003 there had been three immediate prohibitions and a variation notice.
The six-weekly inspection period seemed to have been exceeded for one vehicle. He believed the company wanted to comply with its obligations undertakings given at the previous hearing had mainly been complied with, including having the vehicles roller brake tested four times a year. However, there had been lapses, with defects not seen or reported.
Managing director John Thomas Irwin said the company was seeking additional vehicles because the licence was fully taken up with no margin.
Refusing the application, Bell said the TCs were increasingly looking at operators' test histories. Operators should do likewise to see whether vehicles were passing first, second or third time, to judge if their maintenance systems were robust enough.