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Haulier-cum-agency loses licence; bosses are banned
Page 27
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A Norfolk company which also ran an agency supplying drivers to another firm has had its Operator's Licence revoked and its partners disqualified from holding or obtaining one.
Vincent McGrath and Glen Bailey, trading as Europlus Transport of Thetford, appeared before the Eastern Traffic Commissioner Geoffrey Simms at a Cambridge disciplinary inquiry after drivers they supplied to Brandon-based Arrowpak were found to have committed hours and tachograph offences.
The TO was told that when a traffic examiner visited Europlus, which held a three-vehicle licence, it was only able to produce 262 tachograph charts.
A subsequent examination revealed a number of missing charts: there were also a number of four-and-a-half-hour driving offences and possible false records. A list of the drivers' names had been requested but none had been forthcoming (CM 22-28 May).
The IC said that within days of the investigation commencing, Arrowpak dispensed with Europlus' services. Shortly afterwards Europlus' transport manager resigned. This appeared to be when he heard that the Vehicle and Operator's Service Agency (VOSA) was investigating the company.
There were concerns about unscrupulous agencies turning a blind eye to the regulations and neglecting to carry out checks to ensure that drivers take sufficient rest between jobs. He added that offending drivers were often difficult to trace because employment records were not maintained. By obstructing VOSA, it was possible that many drivers employed by Europlus had escaped prosecution.
Disqualifying McGrath indefinitely, the TO said that he had partnered with Arrowpak without any regard for the consequences of falling to control and supervise drivers.
Disqualifying Bailey for five years, the IC said that his elder partner had led him astray. He had failed to demonstrate that he possessed the slightest knowledge of what was required of a licensed operator but was a much younger man and could still learn the required skills.
The TO curtailed Arrowpak's licence from 32 vehicles and 21 trailers to 20 vehicles and 15 trailers.