Bowkett suspension lifted after fines paid
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• South Wales LA John Mervyn Pugh has lifted the suspension of the licence held by Gwent haulage company, Bowkett Transport.
In January the LA suspended the Newport-based company's licence, which authorised four vehicles and eight trailers, after hearing that it had been convicted of offences involving the non-payment of vehicle excise duty and the unauthorised use of vehicles, and that 13,000 was outstanding in unpaid fines.
At the same time, he suspended the licence for 10 vehicles and 18 trailers held by Richard Draper, trading as Richard A Draper Transport, of Newport, said to be working closely with Bowkett Transport, because of his record of convictions and pro hibition notices. Richard Bowkett, a director of Bowkett Transport, said his "tie-in" with Draper was their work at British Steel and the fact that he used Draper's facilities at Lilleshall Street, though that was not his operating centre. He said there was a possibility of a partnership with Draper in the future.
The suspension of Bowkett's licence was lifted after the LA was shown receipts showing that all the fines had now been paid in full and photocopies of current vehicle excise licences for the vehicles to be operated.
For the company, Terry Vaux said that the proposed partner ship with Draper had now gone by the board.
In lifting the suspension at a Cardiff public enquiry, Pugh cut the authorisation on the licence to two vehicles and four trailers and directed that it expire at the end of September instead of at the end of November 1997. He also directed that the renewal of the company's licence be considered at a further public inquiry.
Draper failed to attend the public inquiry and the LA revoked his licence.
Pugh said he had received a letter saying that Draper was ill and wished to surrender his licence. In view of his record, Pugh was not prepared to accept the surrender of the licence and it would be revoked. However, he was not making any order of disqualification, which meant that Draper was free to seek a fresh licence in the future. Any such application would be considered at a public inquiry.