Haulier gets driving ban for misleading VOSA
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By Roger Brown
HAULIER WEATHER Tec has had its O-licence revoked and its director banned from driving CVs for a month after he instructed a driver to give a false name to a VOSA traffic examiner at a roadside check.
Following a public inquiry and driver conduct hearing in November, West Midland trafic commissioner (TC) Nick Jones suspended Peter Wood’s vocational licence for the whole of January and disqualiied the Birmingham-based irm for six months.
In August 2010, the operator’s sole vehicle – a 7.5-tonne truck – entered a VOSA check site in the West Midlands. Its driver, who had a tachograph under the name “P Wood” , told the trafic examiner his name was Peter Wood.
However, a DVLA check showed that his face did not match the photograph of the person whose name had been given. The driver later admitted that his name was Russell Wall, that he didn’t have the correct authorisation on his driving licence to drive a 7.5-tonne vehicle, and that he had been advised by Wood to say what he did. Wood later denied having instructed Wall to give false details if stopped.
However, the TC said: “I ind that Wood provided information with his personal details to Wall with the intention that it be used to mislead VOSA or other enforcement agencies in the event of Wall being stopped. Instructing employees to give false information is too serious for a mere revocation of a licence, a period of disqualiication is appropriate, albeit a relatively short one.” The TC issued Wall – who had already been prosecuted for misleading enforcement oficers and making false statements – with a formal warning.