Mr. Hanlon grants short term after illegal operation admission
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A 20-YEAR-OLD applicant who the previous day had admitted operating outside his Contract A licence conditions and running vehicles without a licence, applied for two B licences in Newcastle on Tuesday.
Mr. C. B. Willis was fined £2 on each of seven counts which were described as sample charges, at Durham magistrates' court on Monday. He made no appearance but was represented by a solicitor.
Mr. Willis attended the public inquiry to apply for a 5-ton tipper to carry lime and limestone to spreaders for R. H. Gardner within 100 miles and a 44-ton tipper to carry road and building and site preparation materials within 50 miles.
Four letters of support were produced— one of these was from Mr. Gardner. Mr. Willis said he had hoped Mr. Gardner would have attended the hearing. However, Mr. T. Langlands, an executive officer, MoT, said Mr. Gardner had told him the previous day that he would not attend. He explained that the letter had been written before Mr. Gardner had obtained a B licence to undertake his own haulage of lime and he was aware of the question of illegal operation involved.
Mr. G. N. Robson, for the applicant, said that it was obvious that Willis was a foolish young man but if the applications were refused completely it would place him in greater difficulty since he had hire purchase commitments of £2,000 and only one of his three vehicles was now operating. One vehicle had been on contract to Tarmac Roadstone Holdings Ltd., since July 1967.
The Northern LA, Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, said that it was a pity established hauliers did not object to applications when they knew the applicant was operating illegally. He felt the present changes in legislation might not have proved necessary if this had been done in the past.
Mr. Hanlon, who said he hoped Willis had learnt his lesson, granted a short-term licence for the two vehicles with conditions: "lime to his own spreaders within 50 miles; sand and gravel within 15 miles".
If, after the licence expired, Willis could produce figures and show that he could operate properly, said Mr. Hanlon, he would then be prepared to consider a substantive licence application. The short-term grant was without prejudice to his right to dismiss the application on the grounds of previous conduct or failing to make out a case.