Operator's wife takes the reins
Page 20
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Hereford-based JWS Oakley, a company formed to salvage what was left following the liquidation of JWS Transport, is to be granted a licence on condition that photocopies of the current tax discs for its vehicles are received by West Midland Traffic Commissioner David Dixon.
The company, which had applied for a new national licence for four vehicles and eight trailers, has been operating under interim authority since March.
Sole director Beverley Oakley said her husband Julian Oakley had been the sole director of JWS Transport and she had been transport manager. When the new company, which had changed its name from Rotherwas Transport, had applied for the licence, her husband had been the sole director. When she enquired about the delays in processing the application, she was told one of the reasons was the connection between the two companies and she was advised that Julian should resign as a director, which he did.
The previous company had ceased trading at the end of December on the advice of their accountants because of two major bad debts, said Mrs Oakley. The vehicles the new company was using were the same vehicles used by the previous company; they were owned' by another family member.
Mrs Oakley told the TC that the previous company's licence and discs had been sent to the Traffic Area Office by her husband after they were released to them by the liquidator at the end of February. The TC replied that they had not been received. He also pointed out that the Traffic Area had never been informed that the previous company had gone into liquidation.
Mrs Oakley said she had been assured by the liquidator that he would inform the Commissioner, but Dixon made it plain that this was the operator's responsibility and not the liquidator's.
When told that DVLA records showed that one vehicle had not been taxed since the end of March, Mrs Oakley maintained it was displaying a current tax disc and told Dixon that she had personally taxed the vehicle on 31 March.
Indicating that he proposed to grant the licence if the information he received was satisfactory, the TO said there were unresolved issues in relation to the previous licence but they were more to do with Mr Oakley. Mrs Oakley had taken steps to distance herself from her husband in respect of the new application.