Tribunal quizzes appellant
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MA South Benfleet appellant at the Transport Tribunal was quizzed by deputy president Robert Owen, presiding, for around 10 minutes on his failure at attend a hearing of his operator's licence application before deputy Eastern LA Prof Charles Arnold Baker.
Nigel Greenhill, a director of Furrowstone, said he had been unable to go to the Chelmsford hearing because on the application day his mother had been taken to Southend General Hospital between 8.30 and 9am with multiple injuries after an accident. He had phoned the traffic area office but, in a hurry, had not given the reason for not being able to attend Furrowstone had applied for an 0-licence for six vehicles and no trailers with an operating centre at Station Garage, High Street, South Benfleet. Greenhill told the Tribunal he had not known that a problem would be caused. "I'm confused why this application has not gone through," he said. His firm had had the vehicle entrance gates widened and the pavement realigned to give easier access to his own and Tesco's lorries.
Told by the deputy president: The LA should have had this information; we cannot accept fresh evidence," Greenhill replied: "The LA's office said it is standard procedure to make an appeal within one month.': The deputy president concluded: "Mr Greenhill, this appeal is dismissed; the LA was fully justified. We don't consider your reasons for failure to attend justify us disturbing that position. You can make a fresh application; this failure will not prejudice that application in any way."