Time-wasters lose licence
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Falkirk-based DMB Storage has lost its licence after failing to appear at an Edinburgh disciplinary inquiry.
The company, which held a licence for two vehicles and four trailers, had been called before the Scottish Traffic Commissioner Michael Beth because of concern over its maintenance record and finances.
The IC said that following the issue of a number of prohibition notices, maintenance investigations were carried out in November 1998 and December 1999. The results were unsatisfactory.
Following the 1998 investigation, the company was written to in March 1999 and asked for an explanation and assurances for the future. A reminder was sent to the company in April.
A less than satisfactory reply was received at the end of April and further letters were written to the company in May and June 1999. Following the December investigation, the company was written to in January, February and March of this year and asked for explanations and assurances.
A reply was eventually received in April, which indicated that a new maintenance contract had been arranged. A written request for a copy of that contract, followed by three telephone calls, proved fruitless.
Revoking the licence, the IC said that the company had a history of slow replies to correspondence. it might be that It considered such matters to be unimportant but the licensing system was based on trust and he had to be satisfied that licence holders met the appropriate standards. In this case he could no longer be satisfied that they did.
The Traffic Area Office staff and the Vehicle Inspectorate had spent far too much time trying to deal with the company and he was not prepared to allow the situation to continue any longer.
The IC warned that if the company's directors decided to seek a new licence he would consider their application at a public inquiry.