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Veteran haulier used defunct 0-licence
Page 24
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A HAULIERWITH 30 years' experience in the industry claimed he didn't know it was wrong to run a company on the 0-licence of a business that had shut down nine years ago. Now he must wait for a decision on an application for the new operation.
Liverpool Airport-based Land Air, which was trading as Overnite European International Express, had applied for a licence for eight vehicles and two trailers 0,0 .0 1 /),_k--/ iiivi before Beverley Bell, the NorthWestern Traffic Commissioner, at a two-day public inquiry. The firm had been operating under interim authority since September.
Director and transport manager David Hughes said that a previous company, Ovemite European Express International, had been dissolved in May 2000.
Hughes had continued to use that company's 0-licence because he had misunderstood the law. He had thought the licence was still effective because he was, to all intents and purposes, continuing the same business.
Producing documents to show that vehicles had not been used between May 2008 and when interim authority was granted, Andrew Woolfall, for the company, pointed out that the renewal fees had been paid for the original licence and variation applications had been granted since 2000.There had been no intention to deceive on the part of Hughes.
The TC said Hughes had applied for an increase in authorisation on a licence that should no longer have been in existence.
There were nine occasions when she should have been told what was happening. Hughes was not a novice, but a shrewd businessman who had been working in transport since 1978.
Woolfall said Hughes had rebuilt the firm following two setbacks.
The company operated around 40 smaller vans, and the large vehicles represented just 5% of the operation. However, some customers required the availability of larger vehicles.
The TC revoked the old licence and reserved her decision over whether or not to grant the new company a licence.