Absent haulier loses his licence
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Morecambe-based Richard Clarke lost his licence when he failed to attend a Trafford disciplinary inquiry before North Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell.
Vehicle examiner Paul Wilson said he had made several attempts to contact Clarke, who traded as fiLC Transport, to inspect his vehicle and his records.
On one occasion Clarke had stated that the vehicle had been involved in an accident and was under repair.
On a second occasion Clarke simply failed to turn up. Wilson told the IC that he had found the vehicle unattended and unlocked in a car park.
He had issued an immediate prohibition for five defects after making a walk-round check.
Tachograph charts in the cab showed that the vehicle had been in recent use, Wilson added. The declared operating centre was clearly not being used and when he contacted the nominated maintenance contractor he was told he had only ever inspected the vehicle once, and that was in 1998.
in reply to the TC, Wilson said he had never met Clarke though he had spoken to him a couple of times on the phone. Clarke had always been very obstructive.
Revoking the licence with immediate effect, Bell said Clarke had clearly felt that he could circumvent the licensing system by removing the vehicle from the licence at the end of February She took account 0 the fact he had chosen not to attend the public inquiry and that no accounts had been produced despite two requests.
She directed that Clarke's nominated transport manager, Peter Barnes, should be written to and asked to explain his role.