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lit scrutinises three firms with
Page 35
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the same transport manager
THREE OPERAI'ORS using the same transport manager were called to Public Inquiry to establish whether he really had "effective and continuous control" of their operations.
North-Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell took no action against two of the firms hut revoked the 0-licence of the third.
The three firms were: Leigh-based Durchem, which held a licence for one vehicle in the name of Gerald and Lesley Durkin; Blackrod-based Red Rock Logistics, which held a licence for four vehicles and six trailers in the name of Stephen Armstrong and David Hindley; and Bolton-based KW Walch & Son, which was operating under interim authority while Keiran Walch's new application for a one-vehicle licence was being considered.
The nominated transport manager in all three cases was Jonathan Knowles.
Knowles said he had faxed his resignation as transport manager of Red Rock Logistics to the Traffic Area Office when that firm ceased trading, hut had not kept a copy. He bought and sought pallets and the transport of these was subcontracted to Walch and Durchem. He told the TC that they met every week, adding that he was available on the phone "if any problems cropped up".
Traffic examiner Christine Finnigan said she had visited Red Rock Logistics and was told by Hindley that the partnership had been dissolved in 2002 and the vehicles had been sold. Hindley no longer had any paperwork or tachograph charts because the vehicles had not been operated for a year.
Finnigan added that she had had no problems with the other two operators.
The TC revoked the Red Rock Logistics licence with immediate effect, saying that if either partner sought a licence in the future she would consider it at a further public inquiry.
She took no action against the Durchem licence and granted Walch's licence application.