Angry outburst at VOSA officer leads to revocation
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Director of horse transport firm loses repute along with 0-licence.
A TRAFFIC COMMISSIONER (TC) has stripped an operator of his repute, saying the sort of language he used in an interview with a VOSA official "summed up his approach" to compliance. The company also had its licence revoked.
In a written decision following a public inquiry in May, Western Area TC Sarah Bell ruled that Christopher Muir, director of Hungerford. Berks-based BRT Horse Transport International, could not be nominated in any traffic area from 30 July.
On 6 December 2009, a prohibition had been issued against BRT for failure to use a tachograph on a vehicle.
However, according to Bell, a "perfectly reasonable question" at interview under caution by a VOSA traffic examiner, had resulted in Muir responding,"B****cks to EU rules". The TC said: "While Mr Muir apologised for the use of language at the public inquiry, in my judgement it sums up his approach to compliance."
Another document compiled by a VOSA vehicle examiner found that many preventive maintenance inspection sheets for company vehicles did not show brake tests andJor tyre tread depths.
-The reports of the vehicle examiner and traffic examiner taken separately and together demonstrate a blatant disregard for the 0-licensing regime," the TC added.
Bell said the findings of the VOSA officers made "unedifying reading" and described Muir's answers to her questions as "disingenuous".
In a separate 0-licence application heard at the same time, J&B Horse Transport was granted authorisation for one vehicle, with the condition that Christopher Muir could not act as its nominated transport manager.