Haulier told: think again
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• A Cheshire-based international haulier has been told to rethink its plans to have a North Wales depot licensed as its UK operating centre.
North Western Licensing Authority Roy Hutchings adjourned a bid for a new international licence by H W Services (Containers) Ltd, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, for five vehicles and trailers based at
Mostyn, Holywell.
Hutchings said reports from police officers and traffic examiners suggest that he may have to consider the results of pending prosecutions on the company's repute; meantime he is concerned about police reports that drivers are thought to be keeping the vehicles near their homes in Dover and Folkestone.
A director, Mrs W P Murray, said it is an international operation with most of the goods coming to the Manchester area at weekends.
She was amazed by the drivers' statements, but she did not know whether the drivers are capable of giving the correct information to the police.
Vehicles are loaded at Mostyn but it is possible some drivers had not been there. I/rivers are swopped around between vehicles to keep the vehicles moving.
Hutchings said a senior traffic examiner had reported that tachograph charts showed that of the four vehicles operated, one had been in north-west England overnight twice so far this year, with most of its journeys starting at Banbury where the driver lives.
The other three vehicles have been in the North West overnight once, four times and five times respectively with most of their journeys starting in Folkestone where the drivers live.
As the company's transport manager also lives at Folkestone, Hutchings said the company should apply to the South-Eastern Traffic Area for a licence based at Folkestone.
He adjourned the hearing and continued the interim licence issued in the North Western area to give the company time to make such an application.
He added that he doubts whether such a licence will be granted if the vehicles are being parked on the road outside drivers' houses.
Murray said Mostyn is the operating centre to the extent that lorries are parked there on Bank Holidays.