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Glasgow firm 'lost control'
Page 12
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Firm's drivers were out of control an inquiry is told. Mike Jewell reports.
GLASGOW OPERATOR Smiths of Whiteinch lost control of its drivers during 2002, the firm's third Public Inquiry in five years was told. The company had been called before Scottish Deputy Traffic Commissioner Richard McFarlane because of concerns over alleged speeding and breaches of the hours and tachograph rules and vehicle maintenance problems. It currently holds a licence for 35 vehicles and 35 trailers.
In July 1999 the firm was given a final warning and in May 2001 its licence was curtailed to 43 vehicles and 35 trailers, and five vehicles were suspended for a period.
Traffic examiner John Quinn told the inquiry that a vehicle stopped in October was found to have an additional spade connector fitted to a wire at the rear of the tachograph, which could interfere with the operation of the speed limiter when disconnected.
In November a vehicle driven by the same driver was involved in a fatal accident. Tachograph charts seized by the police showed offences, and the driver's vocational licence had expired three days before the accident.
For the company. Neil Kelly said it appeared that the drive had attempted a U-turn. Thi driver had not been overworkel in anyway.
Quinn said that a total of 42i offences were identified, equal ing to a third of the tachograpl charts produced.
It was clear that drivers hal been given work they emit' not do legally, as was shown b the number of occasions tha offences occurred. It was appal ent that the directors and trani port manager had allowed th business to go out of control.
Quinn agreed that there wer many differences in the interpre tation of the tachograph chart checked by VOSA.The company' own tachograph consultant foun 10% fewer offences and identifie a further 100 matters which he fe should not be counted as offence