The examiner who used his torch
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• An operator's garage was described as "dirty and dark with no maintenance equipment" by a vehicle examiner at a Section 174 inquiry in Manchester last week. J. Thompson, removal contractor and coal merchant of Accrington, was applying for the renewal of his one-vehicle B licence and four-vehicle C licence without modification and for the renewal of his three-vehicle A licence and authority to carry for two more customers under this normal user.
Mr. C. A. Anderson, a Ministry examiner, said that on January 8 he had called at Mr. Thompson's garage by appointment and found all the vehicles out except one which required clearance from a previouslyimposed GV9. Because the garage was so dark and dirty he had asked for the vehicle to be taken outside but a flat battery had prevented this and he had issued a GV10 refusal.
MoT examiner from Blackburn, Mr. J. Cannon, said Mr. Thompson had informed him that his maintenance was carried out by three outside garages but, on checking, these companies stated that only repairs were done, as required, and no regular inspections were scheduled. Mr. Cannon had issued GV 9s to two A-licensed vehicles.
A Burnley examiner, Mr. G. N. Caunce, had inspected three vehicles and issued one delayed and two immediate prohibitions on the Band Clicensed vehicles. Questioned by the North Western Licensing Authority, Mr. C. R. Hodgson, Mr. Caunce said the inspection had been done under artificial light with his own torch and he considered the premises only suitable for parking the vehicles.
Mr. Thompson denied that the garage was dark. It was lit by four neon strips and they had an inspection lamp which was adequate for hand greasing since all other maintenance was done by outside firms, he said. He had now made arrangements for Lynch Bros. to maintain the two furniture vans and for J. L. Lord Ltd. to inspect regularly the rest of the vehicles.
The LA said he would call for another inspection in due course and would reserve his decision.
At the same inquiry, the LA was told that Bolton Transport and Trading Co. Ltd. had decided to reduce its fleet because it had been unable to employ sufficient good drivers who would conscientiously complete their driving records. Cartlidges Haulage Ltd., Timperley, was applying for a new threevehicle A-licence and Gordon Fish, Bolton, for a new one-vehicle B-licence, with equivalent licences held by Bolton Transport to be surrendered.
Mr. S. Smith, a director of Bolton Tran, port, said it had had difficulty in getting its drivers to fill in their records properly and it had sacked two men for negligence in this respect. Mr. A. Heywood, MoT traffic examiner, said an inspection of records showed many vehicles had been off the road during December, January and February, the reason for which was a shortage of drivers, he had been told.
The LA granted the new licences and the renewal of Bolton Transport's remaining A and Contract A licences.