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Firm is duped by manager
Page 18
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Fne UK arm of European haulage -_!iant Frans Maas has appeared before Eastern Traffic Commissioner Geoffrey Simms after a transport manager subcontracted work to his brother's unlicensed firm. However, the firm escaped with a warning as the illegal activity had been concealed from the company's management.
Simms heard how transport manager Russell Fielding, who worked at the firm's Tilbury depot, passed work onto his brother Gary, who was trading as Lola Freight without an Operators' Licence.
At the hearing the IC was considering an application by Diss-based Lola Freight for a new international licence for three vehicles and three trailers, and possible disciplinary action against the licence held by Frans Maas.
Gary Fielding, Lola's sole director, said he had been an agency driver working for Frans Maas but had decided to run a vehicle of his own on the same licence. He applied for an 0-licence in October 2000 and acquired a vehicle the following month.
The licence was refused but he had already started to operate in anticipation of getting the green light.
Asked who at Frans Maas had given him the work, Gary Fielding said it was his brother Russell, who was employed as a transport manager.
He had used the vehicle on that basis from November 2000 until May 2001, when it was specified on Frans Maas' 0-licence.
He added that had been trying to obtain a licence of his own for 14 months.
Russell Fielding said he had given his brother work in the expectation that everything was in place for his licence.
Frans Maas company secretary Keith Harrowing told the inquiry that it was Russell Fielding's remit to control sub contractors and to ensure thi were properly licensed.
The company had be( unaware that the vehicle IN been specified on the cor pany's licence and would n have permitted it. We are doir our very, very best to ensui that it will not happen again," told the TC.
Holding that both Lo Freight and Russell Fieldir were not of good repute, ar refusing the application, Simrr added that there was no su gestion that Frans Maas wer aware of the use of an un censed vehicle.
He also suspended Gar Felding's HGV driving licenc for a month, saying the hour offences had been aggravate by his regular driving of an un censed vehicle.
Holding that Frans Maas ha not lost its repute, the IC sai what had gone on had been cot cealed from the company an its senior management.