Three-week cut after third public inquiry
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AN ABERDEENSHIRE firm has had its 0-licence entitlement Cut in half after its third public inquiry in four years.
Laurencekirk-based Douglas F Mitchell has had its entitlement cut from 15 vehicles and 30 trailers to seven vehicles and 30 trailers for three weeks by Richard McFarlane, the Scottish Deputy Traffic Commissioner.
In September 2005, the firm was given a formal warning, and, in February 2006, the licence was cut to 12 vehicles for four weeks.
Vehicle examiner A lick Williams said he carried out a maintenance investigation beca use the business's Operator Compliance Risk Score that related to roadworthiness was banded as red.
Three vehicles and three trailers were inspected. Although they were generally in good condition, one was given an immediate prohibition for a cut tyre.
Since July 2004, 25 immediate and 38 delayed prohibitions had been issued; and 11 immediate and 17 prohibitions had been issued since the previous public inquiry, two of which were S-marked.
Director Douglas Mitchell said the firm had spent about £13,000 on tyres since December 2008.
Maintenance contractor Peter Thornton felt the company was being targeted because it was in the red". He believed that every time one of its vehicles drove past a checkpoint, it was stopped.
Damage was regularly sustained to tyres because of the nature of the work the vehicles did. He said that some of the prohibitions hadn't needed any work doing before being cleared.
The DTC said he had no issue with VOSA targeting the company because it was in the red band. Having introduced such a system. VOSA could be criticised for not taking an interest in operators who were flagged up. He had the impression that not much had changed in the company's systems since the last public inquiry and that concerned him.