Hired vehicles: hauliers' duty
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• Ensuring hired vehicles are in good condition is the responsibility of the operator, no matter what the terms of the leasing agreement, West Midlands Licensing Authority John Mervyn Pugh told Stoke-onTrent-based Amber when it applied last week to add five vehicles and trailers to its existing 10-vehicle licence.
For the company, Michael Carless said the additional vehicles were required to meet seasonal demands and would be hired in, the maintenance being included in the contract. The rental amount would be based on six-weekly inspections. A grant would enable the company to put an additional vehicle on the road when required within the law.
Mervyn Pugh said the only problem with hiring vehicles was that the responsibility for ensuring the vehicles were in a fit condition became that of the licence holder. It was the company's licence that would be at stake if a hired vehicle was found to be defective.
Amber's manager, Peter Gordon, said that customers were asking the company for more vehicles than it could supply. The additional vehicles would be hired from major leasing companies, such as Interleasing, Wincanton and Russell Davies Haulage.