A demolition company had its six-vehicle licence cut to two vehicles after allowing its maintenance to become an "appalling mess", including inspection gaps of more than 30 weeks. Hyde-based Malore, with a six-vehicle restricted licence, had been called before the North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner, Mark Hinchliffe.
For the company, Mike Cunningham said that it accepted it could not run six vehicles.
Vehicle examiner Andrew Mann said he issued immediate prohibitions to two vehicles examined in January. They had last been inspected in May and August 2008 respectively. There were gaps between inspections varying between 8.7 and 32.9 weeks. There was no forward planner or written driver defect reporting system. First time annual vehicle test pass rate was 33.3%.
The DTC said it was a 'grand slam' of problems. After examining documents produced at the hearing, Mann said that inspections were now being carried out by an outside contractor at the agreed interval of four weeks. The company now had systems back in place.
Director Christopher Wilson said the problems had resulted from the illness of different people, and he agreed that the company had lost its way. Although the company needed two vehicles, it was currently only operating one. He gave a series of undertakings about vehicle maintenance.
The company's sole driver and transport manager, Lee Dodd, said that when he joined the company in March he found an appalling mess. He had made drastic changes to bring the company in line with the law, spending £5,000 on the vehicle.
Not trying to excuse mistakes
The DTC ackowledged the significant improvements amde and that the company had not sought to excuse the inexcusable.
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