Tribunal clips LA's claws
Page 20
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IT WOULD be a cat and mouse operation to deprive an Aberdeen operator of a licence for a third vehicle for the rest of this month, the Scottish Transport has ruled.
It allowed an appeal by James Sutherland, t/a Fleet Transport Services, of Bridge of Don, Aberdeen against Scottish Licensing Authority Hugh McNamara's decision last year to curtail its six vehicle and eight trailer Operator licence to two vehicles and two trailers.
When he curtailed the licence, Mr McNamara said he did not consider that Mr Sutherland's Nas a "cowboy" operation, but said he was concerned that the pusiness may have become arger than the operator could control.
The Tribunal said that it, and )robably Mr Sutherland, too, greed with this assessment, Ind noted that Mr Sutherland was appealing for the licence to be increased to three vehicles and three trailers in order to fulfil contracts.
In fact, Mr McNamara had grated a stay of direction of the curtailment, pending the outcome of the appeal, and Mr Sutherland, knowing the risk involved should he lose the appeal, had bought a third vehicle.
As the 0-licence, in any case, expires on May 31 this year, the Tribunal felt it would be "something of a cat and mouse operation" to take away the right to run a third vehicle, and left it for Mr McNamara to reach a fresh decision based on all available information when he considers renewing the licence.