Disregarded warning
Page 41
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• An operator who had been warned in March 1968 about operating from Learnington Spa when he was authorized from Leominster had continued to do so, it was revealed when he applied last Friday in Birmingham to change his base. He also applied for a continuation of his three-vehicle A licence.
R. V. and R. S. J. Scotford had received a letter from the West Midland LA, Mr. J. Else, urging them not to operate these vehicles until an amending application had been made.
MT. Else pointed out on Friday that the original Scotford business with three groups of licences had been sold to Lake Haulage, Leamington, of which two groups had been transferred with a reduced number of vehicles. Scotford had then acquired another business, this time from a Leominster haulier, but it had been established at the March 1968 inquiry that his vehicles had done no work in the Leominster area but were carrying for Leamington customers.
"You were told at that inquiry that this had got to stop," said the LA, and yet figures for the period March to December 1968 now showed that he had carried on" in the Leamington area, with only one Leominster customer being served in the last three months. Mr. R. V. Scotford replied that he wanted to get some figures for the present application.
"It seems to me that you have carried on much as you were before," commented Mr. Else. Mr. Scotford said he had opened an office in Leominster and reinstalled the phone after the last inquiry.
Mr. N. Carless, for Eric Newcombe Ltd., said his client had withdrawn his objection when told only bricks were concerned in the Leamington area but it now appeared that other commodities were being carried.
In support of the application, Mr. H. A. White, office manager, Allied Brick and Tile Co. Ltd., said he could give Scotford an average of £300 per month of engineering bricks for London and the Home counties, Mr, A. J. Applin, haulier, said he could pass on a similar amount since he sub-contracted £17,000 annually.
Thwaites Engineering Co. Ltd. could give the applicant £250 a month now, carrying dumpers, and £500 when a factory extension was completed in the autumn, said Mr. R. A. Key, assistant to the managing director.
The LA pointed out that neither dumpers nor the areas mentioned by Mr. White fell within their present normal user.
He said the application should either be adjourned for redeclaration or it was his inclination to refuse the application in its entirety on the grounds that the evidence did not support the present normal user and that the applicant might be considered not a fit and proper person to hold a licence.
Whatever the application, Mr. Scotford's conduct since March 1968 might call for disciplinary action by way of indicating his disapproval, said Mr. Else. However a prima facie case for the licence had been made out even if its grant was delayed.
The application was adjourned.