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Firm's offences came to light because driver failed to stop
Page 33
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A limited company was discovered to be operating on a sole traders
licence after Vosa requested its tacho records. Mike Jewell reports.
DRIVER who ignored orders to stop )y a marked Vosa vehicle set in train an nvestigation that revealed numerous offences )y his employer, including tachograph fiddling Ind the unauthorised use of vehicles.
Blaen au Ffestiniog-based Evan Hughes. rading as Hughes Specialised Transport, and wo of his drivers were called before Welsh Fraffic Commissioner David Dixon.
The TC said it seemed the company, of vhich Hughes was a director. had operated 'chides without authorisation since being set ip in January 2004. A licence application by he company had been refused in July 2005 but -Iughes had continued to operate the vehicles inlawfully on his sole trader's licence.
Traffic examiner Richard Mill reported hat in January 2005 he and a colleague had [tempted to stop an artic belonging to Hughes in the AS at Corwen — but the driver, Geraint ',ph ram, had failed to stop. As a result Hughes ad been asked to supply tachograph records, ihich revealed hours and tacho offences.
When Hughes had been interviewed. it ccame clear that he was no longer a sole trader nd he was advised to immediately apply for an )-licence in the name of the company.
Hughes had said that he was unaware of le offences and admitted that nobody checked le tachograph records — but added that all charts were now being checked by a bureau.
Mill told the TC they had followed Ephram's vehicle for some distance in a marked Vosa vehicle with the strobe lights Ilashing but he had ignored them.
Confusion over lights
Ephram said he had been unaware it was a Vosa vehicle and had thought its flashing lights. which were amber and not blue, might mean it was a breakdown vehicle.
Hughes said that after the company was formed in 2004, nothing had changed on a day-to-day level. He had thouv,hi I hat seeking a fresh licence was a lot of paperwork and that he would carry on as before without pursuing the company's application.
Following the incident involving Ephram's vehicle Hughes had operated the vehicles and employed the drivers as a sole trader hut hired the vehicles from his company which then paid him for the work. He came from a small community and had thought he could trust his drivers not to break the law.
The TC's decision will be announced in writing. •