Ridge Car PSV warning
Page 26
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Scarboroughbased Ridge Car was given six months in which to prove it can operate its public service vehicles properly, when it appeared before the North Eastern Traffic Commissioner, Frederick Whalley, An unsatisfactory maintenance history, and a failure to operate a Bridlington town service, led to the refusal of the company's application for two additional vehicles, the cutting of the licence duration, the cancellation of the registration of the Bridlington service, and a ban on the company registering any further local services.
Vehicle examiner Alan Dyson gave evidence of an immediate prohibition imposed on a vehicle presented for annual test in November, of two delayed prohibitions imposed dur ing a maintenance investigation, and a further delayed prohibition imposed when a vehicle was spot-checked in January.
Traffic examiner Norman Henderson said that following complaints, an examination of the company's records showed that driver Peter Hyde had worked for 20 consecutive days with no time off.
Geoffrey Thacker said that he had originally worked for the company as a part-time driver, before being appointed traffic manager. He had to cover for absent drivers and said that he had worked from 2 January to 22 January without a day off, working from 06:30hrs to 23:30hrs. He claimed that the company's vehicles had been in a dangerous condition, saying that when he suggested repairs the answer he received was that there was no money.
Managing director Geoffrey Lovitt said that he was actively seeking alternative premises, the present operating centre being a temporary arrangement. For the future, he had entered a maintenance contract with a commercial garage and he had permission to use the facilities of Lockers Coaches at Pickering.
He denied that Thacker had worked for 20 days without a break. He accepted that Hyde had driven in breach of the hours' rules, but said that was to maintain a service when another driver had gone into hospital.
Lovitt agreed that the company's financial position was not strong, but said that it had 240,000 coming in this year from subsidised services. The Bridlington town service had not been run since Christmas, because the extra vehicles had not yet been granted.