Short suspension imposed
Page 20
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• The licence held by a Herefordshire express parcels carrier was suspended for three days despite claims that it would jeopardise the future of the business.
George Fairbrother, trading as GA & MM Express Parcel, of Hereford, was called before West Midland Deputy Traffic Commissioner Alan Cattell after operating an additional vehicle without authority and changing his operating centre without notifying the TC.
Fairbrother, who was seeking to increase the authorisation on his licence from two vehicles to three vehicles and one trailer, said he was currently operating a seven-tonnen a 13-tanner and an artic, with a number of vans. He stressed that this was a 24-hour. seven-days-a-week operation and the key to that operation was the attic.
His operation was part of the Apex Parcels network and if he could not move the artic into the Birmingham hub each night he would be in serious trouble. If the licence was suspended, even for a short period, it would severely damage his business, Fa irbrother claimed.
Following the visit of a vehicle examiner last November he had been advised to apply for interim authority, which he did straight away; interim authority for the change of operating centre and the additional vehicle had been granted in December.
Granting the variation, but suspending the licence. Cattell said Fairbrother had been a little naive about his responsibilities as a licence holder. The suspension
would stress the importance of the statements of intent he had signed when he applied for the licence.