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Drink drives boss off road

27th August 1998, Page 22
27th August 1998
Page 22
Page 22, 27th August 1998 — Drink drives boss off road
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• The former transport manager of Wetherbybased AB Couriers, who was convicted of drink-driving in a seven-tonne truck (CM 6-12 August), has had his HGV driving licence revoked and could lose his repute as a transport manager.

Steven Lenton, who was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £250 by Wetherby magistrates, appeared at a Leeds public inquiry before North Eastern Traffic Commissioner Keith Waterworth.

Lenton told the commissioner that he had resigned as transport

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manager of A B Couriers and had been offered with a different Lenton said conviction had come about as a result of a phone call at 03:30hrs on 27 April. He was under the impression that there had been an accident at a weighbridge and drove to the site in a truck with the insurance documents. When he arrived he was breath-tested and arrested.

Convictions for failing to use a tachograph had arisen when he was collecting vehicles for drivers who had run out of hours.

Waterworth said A B Couriers had been involved in a significant number of convictions for unauthorised use, overloading and drivers' hours and tachograph offences. As transport manager, Lenton should have had manager of A B Couriers and had been offered with a different some control over what was another position going on.

firm. However, the traffic commisthe drink-driving sioner was not prepared to

make a deci

hAs transport manager, sion about his Lenton should have repute until the outcome ad some control over of a number what was going on of prosecu

tions that were pending against the firm and its drivers was known.

The commissioner said he had been expecting to also deal with an application by Powerdown for a licence for eight vehicles to take over the business of AB Couriers, but at the last minute the company had withdrawn its application.

It appeared to be the intention, subject to a Transport Tribunal appeal, to continue to operate as AB Couriers.

AB Couriers has appealed against the decision of Deputy Commissioner Mark Hinchliffe to grant a licence for four, rather than seven, vehicles, and to impose a condition limiting the vehicles to seven tonnes gross.

Tags

Organisations: Transport Tribunal
Locations: Leeds

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