Pemberton loses 0-licence, and its director, her repute
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dorninic.perryrarhi.c.a.uk THE SAGA of Pemberton Transport, the Cheshire-based family haulage company bought by Lynne Walker in November last year. has finally come to an end, with the revocation of its 0-licence.
In addition, Walker has lost her repute, and been disqualified from holding a directorship at any transport company for an indefinite period by North Western Traffic Commissioner (TC) Beverley Bell.
A Chester public inquiry on 2 July heard how Walker bought the business for £550.000. She generated the funds by refinancing Pemberton's assets and drew money from its bank account. TC Bell said that before this point the firm had a "long history of compliance" since at least the present licence was granted in 1998. However, she said the method of purchase in a deal put together by Boston Commercial Finance meant that the company was "not built on firm foundations, hut on shifting sands", which "left it at best vulnerable, and at worst doomed to fail".
Evidence also emerged that the company had used Northern Irish haulage firm Bulk Trans. run by Michael Tmnelly, brother of haulier Kevin Tinnelly, as a subcontractor.
Walker claimed that she was unaware of Kevin Tmnelly's history, or that he was "persona non grata" in the North West Traffic Area, and also professed that she did not know it was illegal to run vehicles in the mainland UK on a Northern Irish 0-licence. Bell described this as "a potential abuse of the operator licensing regime".
Walker's previous employment history, with 11 director or company secretary positions and involvement with both Alex Rawlings and Caveman Consultants. were also an issue for TC Bell. who said she had "grave concerns about their activities".
She added: -[Walker's[ answers have been vague and lack transparency and there's nothing in them that say [Pemberton's demise] was caused by anything other than bad luck."
Pemberton Transport went into Liquidation on 23 June, with all 10 drivers made redundant.