LA delays Edcrest driver's evidence
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by Mike Jewell and Miles Brignall • Licensing Authority Michael Turner has renewed Dutch-owned international haulier Edcrest's operators licence at a public inquiry last week, despite allegations about poor maintenance and claims from a former driver that the company "runs illegally".
The driver told the South Eastern & Metropolitan LA that he would reveal extraordinary information about Sittingbournebased Edcrest, if granted immunity from prosecution, after he turned up unannounced at the Eastbourne inquiry on 24 July.
The driver, who asked not to be named, claims to have substantial evidence of malpractice at Edcrest, which he will reveal in a meeting with a traffic examiner which could lead to a further inquiry.
The driver alleges Edcrest runs vehicles with minimal maintenance and has an appalling record over drivers' hours limits.
The company came close to having its licence revoked in November 1993, following a series of drivers' hours and tachograph offences. In April 1994 the licence was renewed for 12 months only when the LA expressed continuing dissatisfaction over driver conduct and the company's documentation procedures (CM 28 April-4 May 1994).
Turner decided the driver could not give evidence at last week's inquiry as it would be unfair as the company had not been given notice that he was attending the inquiry. Turner said a statement would be taken from the driver and if that revealed substantial allegations Edcrest would be called to a further public inquiry.
Department of Transport vehicle examiner William Vinall said he had examined seven Edcrest vehicles and seven trailers in recent months, imposing one immediate prohibition, one delayed prohibition and two defect notices. Brig Turner: a statement to be taken from the driver. An examination of the company's maintenance records appeared to show that inspections were carried out in Holland. The staff at Sittingbourne were also under the impression that the vehicles were inspected in Holland, but an analysis of the tachograph charts showed that the vehicles had not been in Holland at the relevant times.
Director and transport manager Graad De Rooy said the maintenance had been carried out by mobile service vans in the UK. The mechanics would carry out their checks and then send the records of the work to Holland.
The LA expressed astonishment that none of the Edcrest staff in Sittingbourne knew that the mobile service vans carried out the maintenance checks.
Traffic examiner David Lynch said an analysis of tachograph charts for November 1994 to January 1995 revealed a number of offences, including excess drivers' hours. He also believed that some charts had been falsified with drivers using different names.
De Rooy maintained that the drivers concerned worked for another company, and the journeys involved had been double manned. In some cases offences had been committed by drivers who were not employed by Edcrest and the company was therefore not responsible for their conduct.
Turner pointed out that a licence holder was responsible for the conduct of any driver driving a vehicle which was covered by the licence. He concluded that there had been 35 offences committed in the period concerned. De Rooy said that charts were checked by a member of staff for infringements, but stressed that it was impossible to check every chart each week in such a large company.
The licence was renewed for 60 vehicles and 65 trailers.