Barnett refused double
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• Maintenance problems have led to the licence held by Chesterfield hauliers J. & M. Barnett being renewed for two years only by Eastern Licensing Authority, Brigadier Compton Boyd. He has also refused to allow the firm to double the number of vehicles on the licence.
The firm is seeking a licence for four vehicles, two of which are in possession. Vehicle examiner Terence Ferns said that in March he had imposed an immediate prohibition notice for three items on one of the existing vehicles, along with a defect notice for three items.
In September 1985, a vehicle presented for annual test had failed because of a fractured engine mounting. Fearns felt that the poor condition of the vehicle in March could be attributed to a lack of experience and inadequate premises, coupled with the fact that these were old vehicles engaged in tipping work. He issued two defect notices during his most recent visit on 22 June. Fearns was concerned about the proposal to double the fleet as the firm seemed to have difficulty in maintaining the vehicles it already owned.
John Barnett undertook to enter a contract with a commercial garage to carry out the major repairs. Asked whether he was prepared to introduce a nil daily driver defect reporting system, Barnett said that drivers did not always know very much about the vehicles they were driving.
Boyd said Barnett had to be tough with his drivers. No one liked sacking people but it was the firm's licence that was on the line.
Renewing the licence for two vehicles for two years, Boyd said he was not satisfied that at this stage the firm could look after four vehicles. He would not allow them to increase in size until he was satisfied that they were capable of expanding from a maintenance point of view.