Alistair McNiven, of Cardross, Dunbartonshire, was said to be unable
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to attend an Edinburgh disciplinary inquiry after suffering a stroke and had his licence for three vehicles suspended until he is fit to attend.
McNiven was originally called to a disciplinary inquiry in June but wrote asking for an adjournment of at least three weeks to enable him to instruct a solicitor.
The inquiry was rescheduled and McNiven's transport manager was notified that he was also required to attend.
The traffic area then received a medical certificate saying that McNiven should refrain from working for two months, with a letter from McNiven stating that he had suffered a stroke.
Suspending the licence, Scottish Traffic Commissioner Michael Betts said he noted that neither McNiven's legal representative nor his transport manager had attended the reconvened inquiry.
McNiven had told the Vehicle Inspectorate that Alex Morrison Senior maintained the vehicles, arranged the work, instructed the drivers, invoiced the company for work carried out and then paid a percentage to him.
In his letter saying that he was unable to attend the reconvened public inquiry, McNiven had said that since having his stroke he had been unable to manage his business and Morrison had been receiv ing work for his vehicles. Pointing out that Morrison had been disqualified from holding an 0-licence, the IC said McNiven had failed to produce financial evidence as requested previously.
He was not satisfied that McNiven met the requirements of good repute, professional competence or finance.
Normally he would be required to revoke the licence in such circumstances, but he had decided to postpone such a decision until McNiven was fit to attend a public inquiry. In the meantime he was not satisfied about the legitimacy of the business because neither McNiven nor his transport manager were running it. For this reason he directed that the licence should be suspended indefinitely. He added that if nothing was heard from McNiven within three months the licence would be revoked.