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 
P CASE FOUR
Page 24
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
DTC gives haulier permission to carry on
A NORTH WALES meat haulier who encountered problems after the collapse of two abattoirs has been allowed to continue trading, but with a reduced licence.
Eifion Roberts, based in Llanrwst and trading as E&L Transport, had been called before Jim Astle, the Welsh Deputy Traffic Commissioner, due to concerns expressed about whether or not he had adequate finance for his licence for 10 vehicles and 10 trailers.
Michael Cunningham, speaking for Roberts, said he wanted to be able to continue with two vehicles and four trailers. The financial difficulties had arisen as a result of one of his major customers going into liquidation.
There was a purely voluntary set-up in place with insolvency practitioners who were monitoring Roberts' accounts and dealing with creditors in the hope the business could be salvaged. Roberts' family had come forward with sufficient funds for a licence for two tractor units.
Roberts said they had been carrying for the abattoir at Llangefni, which went bust in 2006 owing him £54,000. The firm recovered from that and began carrying for Caernarfon abattoir.
Last November, he was driving one of his five vehicles on the abattoir work in France when he learned the abattoir had gone bust owing him £70,000.
Roberts was now operating two vehicles carrying halal meat for the abattoir's new owners, who paid him weekly. He was trying to resolve his debts and pay back his creditors by putting his house on the market. In reply to the DTC, Roberts said he had three other regular customers apart from the abattoir. The latter accounted for 75% of the work.
Cunningham said that Roberts and his creditors would be in a better position if he was allowed to continue.
The DTC decided to cut the licence to two vehicles and four trailers, having been provided with undertakings that the Traffic Area Office would be kept informed of any changes in status.