Licence revoked for tacho irregularities
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Graham Hoyland Transport had its licence taken after VOSA found evidence of missing drivers’ hours
By Roger Brown
BRISTOL-BASED Graham Hoyland Transport has had its O-licence for six vehicles and trailers revoked after a VOSA trafic examiner uncovered evidence of widespread drivers hours irregularities.
In a written decision following a December public inquiry (PI), Western area trafic commissioner (TC) Sarah Bell said boss Graham Hoyland had lost his repute both as an operator and transport manager, and also refused a new application from Weston International Logistics, of which Hoyland was sole director.
The PI, which Hoyland did not attend, looked at an April 2011 report from trafic examiner Amy Comer, which outlined problems such as unauthorised opening of the tachograph head and improper use of mode switch by drivers. Another report from the examiner in December 2011 found that while issues surrounding missing mileage and falsiication had improved, and more charts were available for inspection, the problems remained. TC Bell said she recognised that by the December hearing, Hoyland had paid better attention to ensuring that his drivers handed their charts in, but otherwise continued to trust his drivers and do a visual check only.
“The VOSA investigation identiied the systems needed a root and branch review and robust monitoring thereafter,” she added. “This did not happen.” Shortly before the PI, Hoyland told his solicitor that he had considerably scaled down his transport operation to one vehicle and one driver; that he did not wish to proceed with the licence application for his new company, or wished to continue to hold an O-licence.
According to Hoyland, he had never deliberately set out to allow his drivers to breach drivers’ hours regulations and that despite failing to monitor them as well as he should, he never pushed them to infringe.
In a statement to the TC, Hoyland's solicitor said: “Mr Hoyland instructs me that these proceedings have made him appreciate in detail the dificulties involved in running and managing a transport operation, and he no longer wants any part of it.” Although the TC recognised that Hoyland planned to close his business anyway, she formally revoked the licence to relect that what had happened was “wholly unacceptable” and that Hoyland had no place as a haulage boss.
She added: “Whether it was deliberate or not, over a sustained period – in excess of two years – drivers employed by him falsiied records and committed numerous other hours and related offences.
“The history of this operator can only be described as demonstrating a total disregard for road safety and as a result has undermined fair competition.”
Formal revocation
There had been unauthorised opening of the tacho head and improper use of mode switch by drivers. Although Hoyland planned to close the business anyway, the TC formally revoked his licence so that the record reflected what had happened.
Applications and decisions
SCOTTISH AND NORTH EASTERN TRAFFIC AREAS
Daryl James Scaife and Partners
DARYL JAMES SCAIFE and Partners has applied for authority to base two vehicles at its site in Westburn Terrace, Sunderland, subject to a change of conditions on its licence.
The condition stating that the authorised vehicles shall not exceed 7.5-tonne gross vehicle weight will be changed to the following: the authorised vehicles shall not exceed 18 tonnes gross vehicle weight.
There will be no changes to the following conditions that currently apply to the site: • no operation, movement, loading or unloading of authorised vehicles at the operating centre before 7am and after 6.30pm Mondays to Saturdays, and before 9am and after 4pm on Sundays; • authorised trucks will always be reversed in to the operating centre to allow the vehicle to exit in a forward gear. All reversing manoeuvres shall be supervised by a banksman; • the authorised vehicles shall turn right out of the operating centre and return from the same direction.
Ken Mallinson and Sons
KEN MALLINSON and Sons is looking to station eight vehicles and 10 trailers at the site of a customer, recycling specialist Sunersol, based in Flush Mills, Heckmondwike. The haulier collects waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) from civic amenity sites, businesses and retailers throughout the UK, and has Sunersol-liveried trailers dedicated to the contract.
JBT Distribution
JBT DISTRIBUTION has been given the go-ahead to decrease the number of trucks and trailers at its existing operating ject5CMO171111D002625 10/11/11 14:53 centre in Hareness Park on the Altens Industrial Estate in Aberdeen to ive and four respectively. At the same time, it has been given the green light for 10 vehicles and 15 trailers at a new site on the Altens Lorry Park.
Forth Tyres
FORTH TYRES has removed its operating centre in Cairneyhill, Dunfermline from its O-licence. The business has been given permission for three vehicles in Crossford, Page 1 Dunfermline, subject to conditions: • authorised vehicles will enter and exit the site in forward gear at all times; • they shall be restricted to rigid types.
FORTHCOMING PUBLIC INQUIRIES Scottish and North Eastern Traffic Areas Leeds
• A PI on 15 March will look at disciplinary action against EJ and AM Fox, based in Wooler, Northumberland.
• On 15 March a PI will consider disciplinary action against Ivan Hutchinson trading as Hutchinson Haulage, based in Driffield, East Yorkshire.
• Pudsey, West Yorkshirebased Shane Michael Hague, trading as Aire Valley Haulage, will make a new application at a PI on 19 March.
Edinburgh
• A PI on 16 March will discuss a new application from Phoenix Haulage, based in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire.
• The TC will consider disciplinary action against Strathcarron, Highlands-based Lochcarron Garage, at a hearing on 23 March.