'Considerable improvement' but firm still has licence cut
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A MERSEYSIDE firm appearing at its second Public Inquiry in 18 months had its licence cut from 13 vehicles and 14 trailers to 12 vehicles and 11 trailers for a week. North-Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Patrick Mulvenna said action was necessary against P&STransport (Merseyside) but recognised "considerable improvement" had been made in maintenance arrangements since the last Public Inquiry.
The Deputy TC granted a licence for 15 vehicles and 16 trailers to successor company P&S Rentals, set up for tax reasons. This takes effect from the end of the curtailment period and is conditional on the surrender of the P&S Transport licence.
The latter company appeared at a previous Public Inquiry in August 2004 and vehicle examiner Colin Haselden said it had made considerable improvements since then. However, its failure to adhere to an undertaking to have roller brake tests carried out at every alternate safety inspection, an apparent decline in annual test preparation standards and incomplete inspection records raised serious cause for concern.
Transport manager Michael Parry said P&S Transport had changed its maintenance contractor as it was unhappy with its previous contractor.
Managing director David Griffiths said he felt the company had done its best, hut it was in the hands of other people as P&S did not have the facilities to do its own in-house maintenance.
It was having problems with its new maintenance contractor, but fewer than with the previous firm,