The traffic commissioner (TC) has revoked the licence held by a council in Essex for its fleet of bin lorries after it failed to recruit a transport manager, leaving almost 100,000 residents without a waste collection service.
Uttlesford District Council, based in Saffron Walden, described the revocation as “highly regrettable” and that it was working “flat out” to resolve the issue.
The licence for 34 HGVs was revoked last month after its former transport manager resigned in July 2023 and it did not appoint a replacement.
The TC’s spokesman said: “Without a transport manager the traffic commissioner is required to revoke the operator’s licence.
“As a result, the council requested a period of time to rectify the issue whilst continuing to operate without a transport manager.
“The traffic commissioner granted this request until 13 January 2024 so that a new transport manager could be appointed.
“This date passed without a transport manager being appointed or a request to extend the deadline further, as a result the traffic commissioner was required by law to revoke the operator’s licence.”
In a statement, the council described it as “an administrative oversight”.
It said: “A member of staff has undertaken the required training and tests following the departure of the former staff member who held the qualification.
“Unfortunately, we did not properly regularise our position sufficiently promptly in this interim period and as a result we have now had to submit a new application after our licence was formally revoked”.