No licence but given benefit of doubt
Page 22
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• A Bolton owner-driver who ran without an 0licence for 18 months has been granted a licence by North Western Deputy LA John Levin.
Ian Campbell, trading as Campbell Transport Services, of Thynne Street, Farnworth, had applied for a new national licence for four vehicles and four trailers at a Manchester public inquiry-.
For Campbell. John Backhouse said that he needed authority for three vehicles and three trailers so that he could drive one vehicle himself, employ a driver to drive a second and have a margin. He no longer owned any trailers.
Campbell had worked for a haulier whose business ran into problems. Campbell took over the running of the business but the money earned was used to pay off an overdraft. Campbell decided to open his own bank account and entered a hire purchase agreement He did not appreciate that the situation in regard to the 0-licence had changed.
Matters came to a head when a vehicle was involved in an accident in November 1994. This led to a police investigation and a prosecution for using a vehicle with dangerous parts; failing to display a trailer registration plate; and unlawfully using the former operator's licence.
Following the accident Campbell applied for his own licence. A vehicle examiner visited him and told him that he should not be operating so Campbell took legal advice and took his vehicle off the road.
Campbell said that the bulk of his work was provided by Allen Munro Transport. He was paid on a monthly basis and did not operate on an overdraft.
The DLA commented that when Campbell applied for a licence his application for interim authority to operate was refused but Campbell had carried on trading and that was naughty Backhouse said that Campbell had realised he was wrong to carry on operating, but he had a customer and if he stopped operating the money would stop. It was a "Catch 22" situation. He was clearly in the wrong and he stopped after taking legal advice, although rather late in the day.
Granting a licence for three vehicles and three trailers for two years, Levin said he was prepared to give Campbell the benefit of the doubt.