i Haulier s told 'you are on the edge of a precipice'
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A Wrexham-based haulier has been given 14 days to prove that all outstanding fines have been paid and that two VED matters have been resolved. Welsh Deputy Traffic Commissioner Alan Jenkins has warned Gresford, Wrexham-based Elfed Parry that if this is not done his Operator's Licence will be suspended until the required evidence is provided.
Vehicle examiner Philip Carson told the Deputy IC that two immediate and six delayed prohibitions had been imposed on Parry's vehicles since December 1997.
Carson added that since March 1992 VED Cheques totalling 113,222 had bounced on 10 occasions and the Bangor Vehicle Registration Office regarded Parry as a
persistent offender. Parry had been convicted on four occasions and ordered to pay fines, costs and back duty totalling 19,285. A further prosecution was being considered.
Vehicle examiner David Collings said an analysis of tachograph charts revealed that a large number of Veeder Root charts had been crudely altered to fit another make of tachograph, and Parry himself had used the adapted charts on 45 occasions.
It was clear that the tachograph in one vehicle had been defective for a considerable time and another had not had a two-year calibration check.
Employed driver Jason Phoenix had failed to take sufficient weekly rest and on four occasions he had driven for longer than 4.5 hours without the required break, Collings
added. In July Parry had been convicted of tachograph offences and permitting drivers' hours offences; he had been fined 11,950 with 195 costs. Wrexham magistrates had since issued a distress warrant for non-payment of fines as only some 1200 had been paid.
Parry's wife Ann said they had now entered a new maintenance contract. They were owed 141,000 by customers and had an 18,000 overdraft facility if needed. Accounts for the previous two years were being prepared.
The Deputy TC said that bank statements produced by Parry Showed a continuing Credit balance of between £436 and 215,700.
Asked why these fines had not been paid, Mrs Parry said she would make sure they were paid that day. She added that there were no other outstanding debts.
Parry said that Phoenix had
failed to take breaks as he had been following other operators' vehicles on the same job which had switches fitted to their tachographs to distort the readings.
The Deputy TC told him: You have been at the edge of the precipice this morning. They have to be sorted out otherwise you will not be of good repute. If that is so you are out of the game once and for all."