Maintenance questioned
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/ Vehicle excise duty problems have led to disciplinary proceedings involving SJ Haulage & Storage being adjourned again.
The Newport-based company set up by the son and daughter of Anthony Lewis, the main director of Ronton Haulage, had been called before South Wales LA John Mervyn Pugh in the light of its maintenance record and a series of convictions.
It holds a licence for 22 vehicles and six trailers, and had sought additional operating centres at West of Adelaide Street, Newport, and New Inn, Pontypool (CM 19 Dec-2 Jan).
Colin Ward, for the company, said Lewis senior was prepared to sign a document stating that his only duties in the company were customer liaison, rates negotiation, administrative systems, BS5750 and contract management.
Director Stephen Lewis signed a statement to say that the company was owned by himself and his sister and that his father was only being employed until he retired to France.
Ward claimed that if untaxed vehicles had been used, the company had paid any back tax and had receipts to prove it. However, questions from the LA revealed discrepancies with information he had received from the DVLA in relation to dates, amounts of tax paid, and details of the registered keeper.
Mervyn Pugh said he found it surprising that most of the photocopies of tax discs produced were illegible.
Stephen Lewis said the company's photocopier was broken and the tax discs had been copied on its fax machine.
Adjourning the hearing until 13 February, Mervyn Pugh said that he would then require a complete and accurate schedule of every vehicle, showing the registration number, the registered keeper, the date when tax was due, the correct taxation amount and the date when tax was last paid. He warned that any attempt to pull the wool over his eyes wOuld result in revocation of the licence.