RGB receives licence renewal compromise
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• Objections from Leicestershire County Council, the local parish council and two residents resulted in a licence held by Rodger Bown, trading as RGB Transport, being renewed for 18 months only, with no additions to his fleet.
Bown, of Birstall, had applied for renewal in respect of seven vehicles and three trailers with an increase of two vehicles and one trailer over his existing licence. At the start of the inquiry, however, he reduced the application to six vehicles and one trailer. Eastern Deputy Licencing Authority Humphrey Lewis, decided to take no disciplinary action after hearing evidence of a number of recent prohibition notices.
Lewis said that when Bown was granted trailers two years ago, his decision to impose environmental conditions on the licence was set aside by the Transport Tribunal, which directed he reconsider the matter, because Bown had had insufficient opportunity to make representations about the impact on his business. He subsequently decided not to impose any conditions after the original representations were withdrawn.
The county objected on highway grounds and evidence was given that the operating centre was situated 400 metres along an unadopted road with a deteriorating surface. It was adjacent to a football field, a children's play area, an archery club and a park.
The county council official, Christopher Catesco, admitted that the county would do nothing about the surface of the road as it did not have the resources.
The residents complained about fumes, noise and vibration. Bown said that he wanted an additional, vehicle to cope with increased business and to give more flexibility with maintenance. Drivers were instructed to take their time down the lane, and those that had not done so had gone. Rubber buffers were being fitted to cut the noise from empty vehicles. He had spent a lot of money on vehicles to help reduce the problems and thought the matter had been blown up out of all proportion, but he was currently negotiating for a possible new operating centre.
Lewis said he was satisfied that the site was not really a suitable place for an operating centre at all. It would be too draconian, however, to close the business down by refusing renewal but he was not prepared to let it expand. The short-duration licence would encourage the search for a new operating centre as well as enabling the maintenance situation to be reviewed soon.
Bown is to appeal.