Ban for 'irresponsibility'
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• Scottish LA Michael Betts has refused to grant an 0-licence to David and Daniel Moscrop, trading as Eye Valley Transport, of Eyemouth. And Betts does not plan to grant the Mosaops a licence within the next three years because of what he.described as their "totally irresponsible attitude".
The partners had applied for a national licence authorising three vehicles and a trailer. The day the application was due to be heard at a public inquiry the LA received a message from Eye Valley's office that the Moscrops' car had broken down on the way to the inquiry.
A message was left on Eye Valley's answering machine that the inquiry had been rescheduled for 5 October. But on 4 October the firm's maintenance contractor told the Traffic Area that neither of the Moscrops would be home until 7 October.
Betts said that in view of the history surrounding the application, and the apparent urgent need for a new licence, he was surprised that the Moscrops had had not attempted to contact the Traffic Area Office after the breakdown. They had not done so until they sent a letter a week after the date set for the inquiry.
The LA had been told by Eye Valley's nominated transport manager, James Hogarth, that he was no longer prepared to act as transport manager and CPC holder. Hogarth had also said he did not sign the transport manager's contract form attached to the licence application, which purportedly bore his signature. As a result Betts was not satisfied the firm met the requirements for a licence. The Moscrops' interim authority to operate was no longer effective. =I A licence held by the partners' father, David Moscrop Senior, was revoked in December 1993, on maintenance grounds. Moscrop Snr was disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence for five years.
A subsequent licence application by Eye Valley Transport was refused on the grounds the company did not have a nominated transport manager who was of good repute, and there was insufficient evidence of the company's financial standing The LA also took account of an unsatisfactory maintenance record. He expressed concern that David Moscrop Snr had acted as a director, company secretary and transport manager of Eye Valley Transport, despite his previous disqualification.