Former director is given new licence
Page 15
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Despite revoking the licence held by Aldridge Warehousing, now in liquidation, Western Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps has granted a former director of the company a new licence.
Ian Aldridge, trading as Aldridge Transport, is leasing premises on the Pennygillam Industrial Estate from North Cornwall District Council, which opposed his application for a licence.
For Aldridge, Jonathan Lawton said it was conceded that he had operated without an 0-licence since the company had ceased to trade and that for one month two untaxed vehicles had been operated.
He pointed out that a letter from the Traffic Area could be interpreted as a consent to the continued operation of the vehicles and that there was nothing in writing to say that interim authority had been refused.
Chartered accountant Leonard Baker told the TC that the company had traded profitably and successfully until the collapse of both the potato and broccoli crops at the end of 1996, which had affected a large number of businesses in the area. The new business was trading profitably and well, he added.
Aldridge said he had made every effort to come to an arrangement with the company's creditors until a customer was unable to make an agreed payment which meant he had no cash for an agreed payment and the company was put into The company's assets were such that he did not anticipate any substantial loss. He had taken over the finance of the vehicles from the company and many of the company's customers and suppliers were happy to continue dealing with him.
The use of the untaxed vehicles arose due to confusion when the company went into liquidation and he had been trying to sort out the new business. All the vehicles were currently taxed.
Lawton asked the TC to ignore the council's objection in view of the fact it had leased the site to Aldridge. He maintained that this was not a case where the liquidation had been mused by incompetent trading.
Granting Aldridge a licence for 11 vehicles and 14 trailers, Heaps warned that it might well be revoked if there were further breaches of the regulations.