Operator disqualified for trying to bypass VI ruling
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A North Yorkshire haulier who set up
an Operator's Licence using one of his drivers, after his own licence had been cut, has been disqualified from holding an 0licence for two years.
Northallerton-based Martin Weighell, trading as ML Weighell Transport, was called before North Eastern Traffic Commissioner Tom Macartney but failed to attend a Leeds disciplinary inquiry—his sixth within five years. He held a licence for one vehicle and one trailer. Vehicle examiner Carl Hunt said that over the past five years 16 immediate and nine delayed prohibition notices had been issued to Weighell's vehicles and trailers. Numerous variation notices were issued when the vehicles and trailers were presented for clearance. One delayed prohibition, three immediate prohibitions and two variation notices had been issued since the last public inquiry in January 1999.
Hunt added that in March he made a number of phone calls to make an appointment to see the vehicle and trailer without response. When the vehicle was eventually seen it was issued with a defect notice.
Traffic examiner David Horsley said that a connected four-vehicle licence held by Steven Newbury had now been terminated.
That licence had been an arrangement to enable Weighell to operate more than one vehicle after his licence was curtailed at the last public inquiry. The drivers of the vehicles had never heard of Newbury and had said that they were employed by Weighell.
When interviewed, Newbury said that he had been a driver employed by Weighell, who had asked him to set up a licence for four vehicles. Apart from sign
ing the application form he had had nothing to do with the operation of the vehicles, even though some of them had been registered in his name.
Weighell had confirmed Newbury's story, saying he had set up a licence using Newbury, as with only one vehicle he was getting into debt and he had been desperate to keep solvent. He had not thought that it was wrong as it was better than running without a licence.
The TC pointed out that Weighell had been convicted of a series of offences, including unauthorised use, the use of a forged 0-licence disc, obstruction, failing to produce tachograph records and drivers' hours offences.
Revoking the licence, the IC said he took a serious view of the way that Weighell was trying to operate outside the control of the IC and the Vehicle Inspectorate.