Baldwins Support Services has been granted an interim O-licence in the North East and South Wales traffic areas.
The interim O-licence runs until January 2018.
Support Services application for 14 vehicles based in Leeds and four at Newport in South Wales was delayed last December after traffic commissioner (TC) Kevin Rooney expressed concern about Richard Baldwin’s involvement.
Richard Baldwin acted as chairman of Baldwin Group, the parent company and financial backer of Support Services.
However, the group’s Baldwins Crane Hire had its O-licences in the North East and West traffic areas revoked by traffic commissioner (TC) Kevin Rooney from midnight on 10 September 2016.
The company’s directors were also disqualified from holding or obtaining an O-licence for varying periods after the falsification of tachograph records by drivers and a conviction for corporate manslaughter.
Following continuation of a public inquiry in Bristol this month, Richard Baldwin said that that no Baldwins Support Services truck driver would be involved in the rigging of a crane.
Undertakings were given that not more than seven vehicles would be specified across both Support Services’ O-licences at any one time and that no vehicle would be used unless specified.
Having heard evidence from Support Services director and transport manager Marcus Gough at the PI, TC Rooney said he was content that the statutory criteria could be met for a managed re-entry to the profession of road transport haulier.
DVSA was requested to investigate the control of the business once it was established to verify the degree of autonomy held by Gough, and whether the company’s
HGV drivers were involved in the rigging process.
By Michael Jewell
