News

The one vehicle licence held by Martin McDermott, trading as Wigan Scaffolding Northwest, has been revoked by North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Elizabeth Perrett.  Vehicle examiner Paul Harrison said that on 21 April an immediate prohibition was issued to McDermott's vehicle. He had undertaken maintenance investigations on 24 January 2007 and 7 January 2008 and the only area that showed improvement had been in connection with driver defect reporting.

No safety inspection sheets  were available in January 2008, although McDermott had indicated they were in his possession and he would be able to fax them to him. Nothing was ever received. There was a 100% initial failure rate at annual test. The DTC said it was clear that the vehicle was not being kept fit and serviceable. Furthermore, there was inadequate record keeping.

McDermott was unable to show that the vehicle was inspected at the agreed intervals, the Traffic Area Office had not been informed of a change of maintenance contractor and there was an inadequate forward planner.  Following the vehicle examiner's visit in January 2007, a letter was sent to McDermott asking for an explanation of the findings and requesting a reply within 14 days. When that was not forthcoming a reminder was sent.

No reply was forthcoming to that letter either and it was not until a member of the Traffic Commissioner's staff wrote a letter dated 21 June - five months after the vehicle examiner's visit, that  McDermott replied. In it he maintained he did reply in February and gave assurances that he would be "legal". In failing to heed advice in January 2007, and then failing to co-operate with staff, she could no longer trust McDermott to run his vehicle safely.