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Traffic examiners threatened with shooting
Page 39
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• "I am of the opinion that Mr. Clark's failure to make any effort to answer the suspicions raised by the investigations into this case point to his being responsible for, or at least a party to, the uttering of the false application form.Mr. W. M. Levitt, the Metropolitan deputy LA, said this last week in a written decision when refusing an application by Garmere Transport Ltd. to vary its B licence—and then revoking it altogether—following a Section 178 inquiry.
Mr. Levitt said the licence was initially granted in chambers, although not taken up, late in 1968 on an unopposed application, "purporting to be signed by Keith King" and presented by Mr. Paul Clark, a transport consultant. The authorization for the issue of the licence, said Mr. Levitt, was given by Mr. David Bush. a licensing clerk in the LA's office.
Although neither of the registration books of the vehicles concerned bore the name King, Mr. Bush still granted the licence, said the deputy LA. They were in the name of L. H. Barnes Haulage Ltd., who apparently continued to operate them illegally for many months thereafter.
In October 1968 the deputy LA's staff were informed that Mr. King, who had still not taken up the licence, had formed Garmere Transport Ltd. and wanted the licence transferred to it under Section 173 (1) (c) of the Road Traffic Act, 1960. This was done.
Following reports that the vehicles were being illegally operated by L. H. Barnes Haulage, and later by a Mr. Hawkins, investigations were undertaken by Ministry traffic examiners. They met with considerable obstruction in their duties, including threats of violence by shooting. The deputy LA said it was found that Mr. King was not, nor ever had been, a director of the company. On May 11 this year the variation application was lodged, again signed by Mr. King.
At the public inquiry, opened last September, the only witness appearing for the company was Mr. David Bush, the MoT clerk who originally issued the licence and who had resigned from the Ministry only a few days previously. He said he was now a director of Garmere Transport and authorized to speak on its behalf, although this was later denied by Mr. Hawkins, a major shareholder. The deputy LA adjourned the inquiry because, he said, he suspected the authenticity of the completed application forms.
Mr. Levitt said Mr. Clark was asked to attend the resumed hearing, but he replied to say this would not be possible as he had not had time to establish Mr. King's identity. When the resumed hearing opened there was no representative of the company present.
The deputy LA concluded his decision by stating that it appeared the licence was wrongly issued and that Mr. King never was a director of Garmere. The application form was therefore not a genuine document, he said.
Referring to the activities of Mr. Paul Clark and Mr. David Bush, he said it was not for him to decide whether any further action should be taken, but any future applications sponsored by them would be subject to very careful scrutiny to "safeguard the licensing system from this sort of abuse".