1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182 
*Burney authorisation cut over maintenance concerns
Page 16
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The firm has six months to sort itself out after the IC identified a "lack
of control and direction" from its directors. Mike Jewell reports.
NORTHERN IRISH haulier McBumey Refrigeration has had its licence for 50 trucks and 100 trailers in the North-West cut to 45 trucks and 90 trailers following concerns aver vehicle maintenance, North-Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell reduced the authorisation after hearing the fleet had attracted 44 prohibition notices in the past five years, including 11 which were S marked, indicating a serious lapse in maintenance. There had also been three refusals to clear notices.
The TC remarked that maintenance records were in disarray; there was no evidence that inspections had been carried out at the stated intervals; and little had changed since a maintenance investigation in August 2005.
Many of the prohibitions were for defects that should have been picked up by the drivers, she added.
Incidents include a rollover accident caused by trailer brake failure theyellow airline had not been properly connected by a new driver who had received training only the day before, and the shunt valve was corroded.
In another incident, a trailer on the M56 was found to have a brake actuator that had failed and which was tied up out of the way. The company accepted that vehicle maintenance had not been properly managed, but said it now had three extra service bays, three additional fitters and a night shift in addition, a roller brake tester was to be installed.
McBurney Refrigeration was formed when MD Norman McBurney acquired the P&O Ferrymasters Refrigeration Division in 2000. In 2003 it had taken over Plerorna Distribution, which had a cold store.
McBurney said he had been unaware of maintenance problems until the vehicle examiner's visit and that he was "deeply disappointed" that he had not been informed by senior managers. He had believed the situation had been put right, with new systems and the right people in place (CM 15 February.) The company gave undertakings, including that each driver would be given individual training from a recognised third-party provider.
Cutting the authorisation, the TC said the company had clearly suffered from "a lack of control and direction" from its directors, husband and wife Norman and Lynn McBurney. She decided the scales hadj ust come down in favour of the company retainingitsrepute, and thus its licence. However, she suggested the gentleman in charge of maintenance and compliance had been 'set up to fail'.
In view of this, Bell was satisfied that the company did not meet the professional competence requirement. She was prepared to allow it six months to specify an additional third transport manager to share the workload.
If that was not done within six months the licence must fall.