Pugh questions Iwo-in-one' firm
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• Prohibition notices imposed because of poor vehicle condition and failures to tax vehicles properly led to associated Llanelli hauliers Wynford North and W North Transport appearing at a Cardiff disciplinary inquiry.
South Wales Traffic Commissioner John Mervyn Pugh heard there was a combined fleet for the companies of 56 vehicles and 96 trailers operating out of Old Foundry Yard, Llanelli.
North personally operated eight vehicles and 10 trailers, and a vehicle examiner reported that when he carried out a fleet inspection he had imposed five immediate and five delayed prohibitions.
He also reported that the maintenance facilities were inadequate. Information had been received from the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency that vehicles were not taxed.
North said that they had been forced to move from their original premises which were rented from Llanelli Borough Council. The council had bought the land and a scrap yard, demolishing the premises and closing roads. The only access had been to drive through a field. Even the water and electricity had been cut off.
Pugh said that his only concern was to see that vehicles were operated safely and that they were properly taxed.
Adjourning the proceedings for a fortnight, and advising North to seek legal advice, Pugh said that he wanted all the vehicles and trailers to be put through fresh annual vehicle tests. He would want to know why it was necessary to run two businesses when it was quite apparent they were operating as one.
He would also require to see the annual test certificates, proof that all the fines and back duty had been paid, bank statements and copies of the excise licence discs. As far as the latter were concerned, he would not be too keen on tax discs that expired at the end of March. He warned North that he was in a very serious situation.