Fleet large enough
Page 47
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• The Transport Tribunal, in a written decision, has allowed in part the appeal of Knowles (Transport) and six others. T. E.G. Barrett was respondent.
In 1966 the respondent was granted an A licence for two vehicles when he acquired a haulage business. On June 26 1967 the respondent was granted a new licence for four vehicles with an extended normal user, and it was because of this grant that the appeal was made to the Tribunal.
When the respondent's business was in the hands of the previous owner, the two vehicles were working almost wholly for the London Brick Company, and Mr. Knowles had received a letter of support from this company when applying for a licence to operate those vehicles. Only after he had obtained the licence did he learn that he would be unable to get on London Brick's list of hauliers on account of the economic situation, which was resulting in bricks being stock-piled instead of being delivered.
Without London Brick as his major customer, the respondent built up his business, but operated outside the terms of his normal user. He did this until he applied to the Licensing Authority to increase his fleet, and it was only in cross-examination that this fact was learned.
The respondent had now been added to the list of hauliers working for the London Brick Company, and the LA considered the addition of one vehicle in order.
The Tribunal, however, while agreeing with the LA's opinion that an extension of the normal user ought to have been granted, did not consider that the fleet should yet have been increased. Its decision will not take effect until May 20 1968.