Bradford bid successful
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• Bradford Cargo Terminal won a licence at the second attempt at a Leeds public inquiry before North Eastern Deputy LA Brian Horner.
The company had applied for a new national licence for four vehicles and two trailers. A previous application had been refused in January by the former Licensing Authority, Frederick Whalley, because he was not satisfied about the repute of transport manager and managing director John Gibbons. That decision was upheld on appeal by the Transport Tribunal.
For the company, Gary Hodgson said that since then there had been a further conviction for an axle overload. The company was fined £500 with £80 costs but that conviction was the subject of an appeal because the vehicle did not belong to the company and the driver was not an employee.
Gibbons said the company specialised in warehousing and the collection of goods for delivery to the Continent. It wanted to have its own vehicles for extra flexibility. There would also be a financial advantage because using subcontractors could be
come very expensive. Gibbons admitted that there had been problems with drivers hours when he had run Transmart Delivery Services. But Gibbons told the LA that Bradford Cargo's drivers would be issued with manuals outlining the drivers hours and tachograph regulations. Stickers in the cabs would remind drivers about the regs. He would examine the tachograph charts personally and they would then be analysed by the Road Haulage Association.
The period since 1988 had been a learning period, said Gibbons. He realised his past mistakes and now felt far more confident and responsible.
Homer pointed out that Transmart had had 40 convictions and an unsatisfactory maintenance record. Gibbons replied that he had gone into that company with the wrong attitude. Since then he had learnt an awful lot. There was a lot more to it than just getting a CPC. He planned to appoint a transport manager to work alongside him.
Hodgson said the company had been operating vans for the past nine months with no convictions, so Gibbons would be able to get it right with larger vehicles.
Granting a licence for three vehicles for one year only, Horner said he was prepared to give Gibbons one final chance, but he needed to exercise caution.