TC Nick Jones described the cut as ‘significantly less severe’ than it might have been thanks to the progress made by the company’s new TM
Vehicle maintenance problems have resulted in the international licence held by Holyhead-based Eifions Taxis being cut from 15 to 11 vehicles in April by Traffic Commissioner (TC) Nick Jones.
The TC also granted a grace period of three months to satisfy the financial standing requirement.
The company, of The Bus & Coach Depot, Mona Industrial Park, Gwalchmai, Holyhead, had been called before the TC at a Welshpool Public Inquiry because of concerns over vehicle maintenance and financial standing.
The TC held that the company’s former transport manager (TM) Simon Millichamp had lost his repute, and he disqualified him from working as a TM until he passed a fresh examination.
Vehicle Examiner (VE) Ruth Kyriacos said that she had carried out a maintenance investigation in July and August of last year. She found that safety inspections had been stretched beyond the declared four-week intervals, to a maximum of 10 weeks.
The company’s nominated TM, Simon Millichamp, had left the company in May 2016. The company’s replacement TM, Scott Holmes, was not able to explain or describe the procedures for tachograph analysis.
Safety inspection paperwork was incomplete, including no reference to brake performance checks. There was no evidence of a forward planner being in place before the new TM’s appointment. Driver defect reports did not show details of rectification work.
Questioned, the VE said that she was satisfied that the new TM had taken steps to rectify the matters complained of. After hearing detailed evidence of the steps now put in place, the TC said that he was impressed with the progress that had been made in a relatively short period of time by the new TM.
In cutting the licence, he added that the regulatory action he had taken was significantly less severe than it would have been in view of the work done by the new TM.
