LA rejects bid after late delay
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• South Eastern & Metropolitan LA Brigadier Michael Turner has rejected a three-vehicle licence bid by Accurate Scaffolding of Tunbridge Wells following the company's request to adjourn an Eastbourne public inquiry the day before the inquiry was held.
Sussex Police opposed the application. PC Bond said the directors of Accurate Scaffolding were Graham Vamplew and Irene Vamplew. Graham Vamplew also appeared to be known as Tony Sullivan and Peter Cross, and Peter Cross had been a director of Mlsteel Scaffolding.
PC Bond said he attended an accident in November 1992 in which a vehicle driven by a Mr Padden shed its load on the B2110 at Colemans Hatch, East Sussex. The vehicle had no valid test certificate, having failed its annual test the previous day for brake and lighting defects. Padden was convicted of using the vehicle with an insecure load; a charge against Graham Vamplew was dismissed. Vamplew said the drivers of the vehicles were self-employed and he had not given authority for the vehicle to be used.
Turner said he understood that Allsteel Scaffolding had gone into liquidation and Accurate Scaffolding was a "phoenix" company to replace it. It appeared the vehicle involved in the accident had passed across from Al!steel Scaffolding to Accurate Scaffolding in practice, there appeared to be no change to the operation. There were a lot of questions he needed to ask Graham Vamplew.
If the drivers were selfemployed Turner said they might require their own 0-licences. If the vehicles were to operate under Vamplew's licence he would need control over a number of matters, including plating and testing and have some responsibility for loading the vehicles properly.
In Vamplew's absence Turner was not satisfied that Accurate Scaffolding would keep its vehicles in a fit and serviceable condition or would be able to control overloading Turner felt it was unreasonable to seek an adjournment the day before the inquiry.