News

A year after causing clients prohibitions, maintenance contractor still failed to improve record. Too much trust in maintenance contractor Thomas Hardie has led to a licence cut for ferrous metal merchants Tom Martin & Co. Martins had its licence cut by one-third to 20 trucks by North-western deputy traffic commissioner Mark Hinchliffe at the end of a public inquiry last week. The operator's prohibition record was "a disgrace" and improvements to the firm's maintenance procedures seemed "a somewhat  belated effort", Hinchliffe said. But the company's actions had pulled the situation back from the brink enough not to lose its licence completely.

The first of a series of investigations from August 2004 resulted in one immediate and four delayed prohibitions and 12 inspection notices. There were gaps in the inspection records of up to 17 weeks, and no regular recording of brake test results. More than a year later, a pre-arranged investigation revealed an S-marked prohibition, a delayed prohibition and six inspection notices, with one record gap of 21 weeks. A July 2006 examination found improvement in maintenance records and advice given at the previous investigations to be acted on. But the company had still received two defect notices, and so far this year it has attracted one immediate and two delayed prohibitions at the roadside.

Martins' transport manager Pamela Caton said the company met with Thomas Hardie after the 2004 investigation. The contractor agreed  it had let Martins down and agreed to pay for FTA audit inspections for the first 12 months. Caton conceded that with hindsight the company had put too much reliance on Thomas Hardie. After being "surprised" by the poor results of the second investigation Martins again met with Thomas Hardie, she said. Caton or the general manager now collects inspection records and the company meets with the contractor on a quarterly basis. The FTA checked a truck and trailer once a week before they left Thomas Hardie.

Last year, after a totally separate public inquiry involving a different operator and dealer, North-western traffic commissioner Beverley Bell called for the regulation of maintenance contractors. Franchised dealers are among the worst, she said.