News

Following serious maintenance problems and convictions the licence held by London haulier Brian Morrissey has been cut from four vehicles and one trailer to three vehicles and one trailer. Mill Hill-based Morrissey had been called before South Eastern & Metropolitan Deputy Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps at an Eastbourne disciplinary inquiry.

Vehicle examiner Chris Walsh said nine prohibitions and four variations had been issued. There had also been clearance refusals on 13  immediate prohibitions, three of them S-marked and 25 delayed prohibitions. There was a 60% prohibition rate at the roadside and a 43% prohibition rate at fleet inspections. The first time pass rate at annual test was 17%. Evidence was given by police officers that two drivers, one of whom was disqualified, had driven for more than 4½ hours without the required break. They accepted that Morrissey had been unaware, even if he should have been aware, that one of the drivers was disqualified.

Morrissey said he had signed a new maintenance contract. In future vehicles would be roller brake tested every 12 weeks. Maintenance checks and audits, including tachograph analysis, were now being carried out by Transport Management Consultants. He admitted that he had not reported two convictions for overloading, two for excise licence offences or the hours convictions recorded against one of the drivers. Appearing for Morrissey, Tim Nesbitt maintained that he had not permitted the drivers'  hours offences.

Justified Action

The DTC concluded that the convictions, the failure to report them, the prohibitions and the appalling annual test pass rate were all grounds for action against the licence.