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Licensing regime treated with 'reckless disregard'
Page 22
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TC says it is unacceptable to loan' a qualification and strips Southampton business of its nine-vehicle 0-licence.
THE 0-LICENCE held by Standen & Sons, which is based in Southampton has been revoked, and the company and its sole director, Kevin Standen, has been disqualified from holding an 0-licence for eight years.
The Western Traffic Commissioner Sarah Bell considered the company had shown a complete disregard for road safety and fair competition.
The firm, which held a nine-vehicle licence, had been called before the TC because of concerns over vehicle maintenance, finance, the use of an unauthorised operating centre, and the use of more vehicles than it was licensed for Evidence from vehicle and traffic examiners that vehicles were being kept at a client's premises at Notting Hill Way. Somerset; a vehicle had been hired and operated in addition to the nine vehicles specified on the licence; and a majority of the maintenance and tacho records requested had not been produced, despite there already being a conviction for failing to produce records. Three undertakings given when the licence was granted had been breached namely that Kevin Standen did not take his CPC course until 14 months after the date agreed. the production of follow-up financial information after 12 months, and a failure to have six maintenance regime audits conducted out of 18 due.
It was conceded that the nominated transport manager, Colin Standen, was elderly and had not undertaken that role for some time.
The TC said this was a particularly bad case. The company had applied to specify a Somerset premises as an operating centre, with a substantial increase in vehicle authorisation, shortly after the licence was granted in 2007, but that application was refused. Bell was satisfied that if the company had nothing to hide, then it would have produced the records on the occasions requested in 2009. There had been a failure on every level to comply with the general conditions and undertakings on the 0-licence.
The requirements of the 0-licensing system had been treated with a reckless disregard. The conduct of the company and its sole director since the grant of the licence meant they had no place in the system.
Holding that Cohn Standen had lost his repute as a transport manager, the TC said he had allowed his qualification to be put forward in this family business with no apparent intention of fulfilling the role. It was an act of utmost dishonesty to simply 'loan' a qualification.