No 0-licence for director who fitted interrupters
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PRESTON, LANCS-based R Ascroft Plant Hire has been refused an operator's licence for six vehicles.
North-Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Mark Hinchliffe rejected the application after hearing that two vehicles owned by its sister company, Ascroft International, had been found with interrupter devices.
A third vehicle had had its tachograph aitered. One of the firm's drivers alleged that Robert Ascroft, director of both R Ascroft Plant Hire and Ascroft International, had fitted the devices.
Hinchcliffe said Robert Ascroft
and transport manager John Ascroft had been involved in "illegal and dangerous" practices.
He said there was no doubt that Robert Ascroft would have known that four vehicles had been fitted with a switch, and that nine drivers had used switches to generate a total of 74 inaccurate readings. His father, Graham Ascroft, instructed drivers in the use of the switches, Hinchcliffe added, and often used the switch himself.
A spokesman for Hinchcliffe warns: "If people are caught interfering with tachographs they can expect tough action from the Traffic Commissioner."