The seven-vehicle international licence held by Sowerby Bridge-based Edward and David Pilling has been cut to three vehicles and downgraded to a national licence by Traffic Commissioner (TC) Tim Blackmore.
The partners had been called before the TC because of concerns over vehicle maintenance.
David Pilling said that there were four vehicles in possession and that since an unsatisfactory maintenance investigation, they had decided to outsource the maintenance of the vehicles. There was now a forward planner in place, which had not been the case at the time of the Vehicle Examiner’s visit. They had not brought any maintenance or tachograph records with them, despite the requests in the calling in letter.
Asked why he had signed a vehicle off as roadworthy on 8 May when it was given an ‘S’ marked prohibition on 14 May for a defective tyre, David Pilling said that he had almost finished the inspection when his wife telephoned with a serious problem, he had had to rush home and he forgot to finish off the inspection.
The partners said that the last time they went abroad was eight or nine years ago and they would be happy with a national licence. David Pilling said that he had passed the national CPC in 1981. He admitted he had not done any refresher training, but if the licence continued he would go on a refresher course. He agreed that he was effectively acting as TM.
Commenting on the lack of driver defect reports, Edward Pilling said that it was a small business. The administration got done but not the paperwork. He agreed that his CPC had been obtained under acquired rights and that he had not done any refresher training.
David Pilling said that it was the intention to move to a sole trader licence when his father retired at the end of their financial year. After he had said that their part-time drivers were self-employed but only worked for them, the TC commented that that was not permitted.
The partners undertook to have their maintenance carried out by an external provider, that there be an external audit of their systems, that all their drivers be put on a PAYE system, and that David Pilling would undertake a two-day TM refresher course. It was also agreed to have the vehicles roller brake tested four times a year, that David Pilling or a qualified CPC holder would be in place by 31 March 2018 when 81-year-old Edward Pilling would be removed from the licence as TM, and that Driver CPC training be undertaken by 31 March 2018.
Cutting and downgrading the licence, the TC said that there had been a sustained and extended disregard of effective vehicle maintenance. He took into account that the business had been in existence for over 40 years and this was its first Public Inquiry. He was convinced they could achieve compliance as he sensed a real willingness to change.
