Tribunal Grant Stay of 15-Vehicle Revocation
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STRONG action by Northern solicitor, Mr. T. H. Campbell Wardlaw, last week, prevented the complete collapse of a haulage • business worth more than £100,000. The Northern Licensing Authority, Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, after calling a special court at short notice to complete the revocation or suspension inquiry into the operations of Dent's Transport (Spennyrnoor), Ltd., refused io renew their A licence for 15 vehicles.
He also refused an application by Mr. Campbell Wardlaw for a stay of his decision to revoke the licence, pending the hearing of an appeal. Instead, he intimated that he would consider an application by Dent's Transport for a new A licence to operate not more than five vehicles, with a normal user limited to the Northern traffic area, if they thought fit to
apply.
The revocation was due to come into force at midnight on March 9 and Mr. Campbell Wardlaw communicated immediately with the Transport Tribunal, and prepared the necessary
papers for appeal. He obtained an -affidavit from •Mr. Dent and appeared before Sir Hubert Hull, in London, on March 9, seeking a stay of Mr. Hanlon's decision.
The application was heard in chambers and as a result the Transport Tribunal issued an order in the following terms" Upon reading the notice of Appeal herein and the appellants' notice of motion and affidavit, both dated March 8, and upon hearing Mr. T. H. Campbell Wardlaw, solicitor for the appellants. it is ordered that the revocation of the public A carriers' licence held by the appellants be suspended pending the hearing of the Appeal by the appellants against the said revocation."
Mr. Hanlon's action caused a sensation among hauliers in the Northern traffic area, who felt that if a precedent was created preventing an appeal before revocations were enforced, the livelihood of any haulier could be taken away at short notice.
It is expected that the appeal will be heard in May.
A full report of the Newcastle hearing before Mr. Hanlon is given below.