Redways loses licence
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• North Western Traffic Commissioner Martin Albu has refused to renew the sevenvehicle PSV operators licence held by Frank Booking for his company Redways Coaches of Leigh, Lancashire.
In evidence, vehicle examiner Alan Singleton referred to 12 prohibition notices including seven immediates imposed on Redway's vehicles since 1984, listing 30 immediately dangerous defects and 55 other defects. Singleton said that at a public inquiry in 1986 Hocking had untertaken to have his vehicles maintained by Eavesway Coaches. Eavesway, however, said that no vehicles had been presented to them.
Singleton was told that two vehicles were being maintained by Monks European Tours, with whom Redways Coaches shared premises, but Monks had written to say that there was no way it would get involved with the maintenance of Redway's vehicles.
Alleging that he had been harassed by the vehicle examiner for three years, Bocking claimed that he had lost a large contract for Risley Remand Centre after Singleton had been to see the prison authorities.
Bocking maintained that his vehicles were kept up to standard, saying that it was only after Singleton had arrived on the scene that he had any problems. He said he had been advised to change test stations to Heywood, Lancashire and when his vehicles went to Heywood they received clean tickets. Hocking said he was maintaining the two vehicles himself at present and the fleet had been reduced following the loss of the prison contract.
Revoking the existing licence and refusing to grant a new licence, Traffic Commissioner Martin Albu said that the maintenance of passenger vehicles was a serious matter. He was not satisfied with Redways Coaches' maintenance arrangements and he said that he found Hocking was not of good repute because of his failure to keep undertakings regarding maintenance of Redways vehicles given in the past.