Demolition business crumbles after Eastbourne PI

A traffic commissioner refused the voluntary surrender of two O-licences connected to a director who presided over demolition businesses with serious and widespread deficiencies, revoking them instead.

In a written decision following an Eastbourne public inquiry, John Baker, deputy traffic commissioner for the South Eastern and Metropolitan area, said Dennis Read, director of both Capital Demolition and Capital Demolition (UK) had written to him saying he would not be attending and asking to surrender his licences. It had been noted that Capital Demolition (UK) had been placed into liquidation, but the DTC said it was not appropriate to accept the surrender.

A roadside encounter that prompted the PI found one of Read’s vehicles was being driven by a driver with no CPC qualification. In addition, the tachograph had not been downloaded for 409 days and a follow-up maintenance inspection carried out by a vehicle examiner at Capital Demolition identified numerous shortcomings and breaches of undertakings. Another visit four months later showed there had been little improvement.

The DTC heard that Read’s son had been in control of both companies when some of the compliance failings occurred and in his decision he said it appeared “that Mr Read, by his own omission, delegated responsibility for compliance to others and it is assumed that he did not check whether they were achieving what was required.”

Revoking both licences, he added that he wasn’t disqualifying Read, but that if he applied for one in the future, the current circumstances would be taken into account.