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Haulage firm has six months to improve its maintenance

14th August 2003, Page 18
14th August 2003
Page 18
Page 18, 14th August 2003 — Haulage firm has six months to improve its maintenance
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311 Consideration of disciplinary action against a South Yorkshire haulage frm has been adjourned for six months to give it a chance to prove its new maintenance regime is working.

Rotherham-based S&T Jones had been called before the North Eastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Patrick Mulvenna at a Leeds disciplinary inquiry. It holds a licence for three vehicles and three trailers.

Vehicle examiner Norman White said since a previous public inquiry in July 2001, three vehicles and three trailers had been inspected at the roadside and three immediate prohibitions had been issued.

The condition of the trailers revealed a failure of the maintenance system. He had carried out a maintenance investigation in January, examining one vehicle and one trailer, which were in a satisfactory condition. Two of the undertakings given at the last public inquiry, in regard to inspecting the vehicles and trailers every three weeks and having roller brake tests carried out every three months, had not been adhered to. The firm had since moved its operating centre and maintenance was being contracted out to a commercial garage following the dismissal of its filter.

Partner Steven Jones said that the firm now operated two vehicles. He drove one and his brother the other. The third had been driven by the fitter.

Asked why there had been only one roller brake test. Jones apologised and said he left everything in the charge of the fitter. He added that the fitter had kept saying he could not book the vehicles in.

In future, the vehicles would be roller brake tested every three weeks during their regular inspections. Commenting on a number of convictions, Jones conceded that he had knowingly used a trailer that was out of test, but said he had thought that it was mechanically sound, having taken the fitter's word for it.

After Jones had agreed that they were losing money because both he and his brother were present while the vehicles were parked up, the DC said that in effect the licence had already been suspended for a day. If he took action now, it would be on a set of circumstances that were now history. During the next six months, he wanted the vehicle examiner to visit the firm again.