1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188 
Eddie Stobart hangs on to Eastern 0-licence
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
HIGH-PROFILE HAULAGE firm Eddie Stobart has hung on to its 0-licence in the Eastern Traffic Area.The potential loss of the 290truck licence had been hanging over the Cumbrian firm for months (CM 20 October 2005).
TC Geoffrey Simms' decision brings to an end a chapter that has at times degenerated into farce and proved an embarrassment for both the firm and the TC. lie licence was initially revoked after Stobart failed to notify the TC of a change of ownership: was unable to prove its financial standing; and failed to appoint a new transport manager after the resignation of former boss Edward Stohart.
The Transport Tribunal over turned this decision and ordered that the TC reconsider the case.
Simms says: "It is abundantly clear to me that a significant change of attitude towards operator licensing and my own authority has occurred between the two hearings.
"Also quite obvious to me is the par bons financial state of the business in 2004. The change of ownership appears to have been beneficial; the business is again profitable."
Andrew Tinkler, Eddie Stobart's chief executive, says he is pleased by the decision: "At the end of the day we've still got the licence and that's all that matters."
Tinkler admits that Stobart had made errors but says a more robust system is now in place.