Essex firm must wait for 0-licence verdict
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by Derren Hayes • An Essex haulier's drivers committed almost 70 tachograph and hours offences so they could get back to base more quickly, an Eastbourne public inquiry was told. The company is now waiting to hear if it will lose its 0-licence.
When JCW International Freight of Dagenham appeared before Traffic Commissioner Brigadier Michael Turner, directors Peter and Mark Wisdon admitted all but a handful of the 70 charges.
One driver's tacho records, when compared with his odometer, showed that 450km was missing for one journey alone. Peter Wisdon admitted that this indicated something was very wrong.
He added: "Most of the offences occurred on inward journeys, so I can only presume they wanted to get home quicker. I repeatedly warned them to drive within the law but they knew I wasn't checking the tachos."
The charges against the firm were brought after a Vehicle Inspectorate check at JCW's depot on the Thunderer Road Industrial Estate in July 1995.
The VI found three months tachograph charts defaced after being soaked in diesel the firm said this had happened by accident—while three vehicles had broken tacho seals.
In subsequent checks other hours, tacho and maintenance problems were found. Mr Sadd, representing the firm, asked Brigadier Turner to defer his decision until the company's licence comes up for renewal in July Sadd said that Peter and Mark Wisdon had taken on too much work after their father, Joseph, had retired to Australia, and that there had been uncertainty over who was doing what. But he said that the brothers now checked tachos regularly and sent them to an outside firm for analysis.
In addition, new maintenance facilities are being built at the depot and five vehicles in the 12vehicle fleet have been replaced, Sadd added. The new vehicles are being maintained by the local Scania dealer.
Turner said he would take two weeks to decide if the firm should keep its 0-licence.
He added that his decision will depend solely on whether the company is still of good repute and sound financial standing. "If they are not I will be forced to revoke the licence," he warned.