• A woman farmer has won her bid for an
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operating licence to set up a longdistance haulage firm, despite protests from a neighbour and a nearby company that her lorries were wrecking an access road.
Christine Simpson, trading as Simpson Farming of Balgornie Farm, Whitburn was given a licence for two vehicles and five trailers by Scottish deputy licensing authority Alex Brand, following a two-day public enquiry where farmer Alistair Jack and United Fireclay Products objected.
Simpson gave evidence that a licence held by T C Simpson & Son, authorising one vehicle and three trailers, was to be surrendered. The vehicle she was using under interim licence was similar to that operated by T C Simpson & Son. As the business would now consist of long-distance haulage instead of farming, the number of journeys along the approach road would be considerably reduced, from about four or five times a day to about four times a week with one vehicle.
The representors' objections related to damage, or potential damage, to the approach road.
On the first day of the hearing it was stated that the approach road from its junction with the B7066 to Cowhill Farm was owned by United Fireclay Products, which was responsible for its upkeep. The evidence given on the second day, however, was that the owner of the road from the junction for approximately 200 metres was the regional council, and that only the remainder of the road was owned by United Fireclay Products.
There was no clear and direct evidence that any damage had been caused by Simpson's vehicle. It was significant that there was no objection to the grant of the licence from the regional council.
Granting a licence without restriction, Brand said the change of use would indeed lead to a reduction in traffic along the road.