Demolition haulier’s application hopes crumble

A Harrow operator with a string of revocations and unlawful activity behind him has had his latest application refused after failing to demonstrate the required repute.

Pravin Varsani applied for a standard national licence for five vehicles and one trailer under the name of Orion Demolition, but deputy traffic commissioner (TC) John Baker said the answers he gave at a hearing before him were evasive and inconsistent.

Varsani had a previous licence for a recycling firm revoked following a curtailment and a warning and then his wife’s licence was revoked in 2018 when she breached an undertaking he would not be involved in its management.

An application by him was refused in 2019 and Varsani then appeared at a driver conduct hearing earlier this year, where he admitted offences of making a false entry in relation to his drivers’ hours and his HGV licence entitlement was suspended for 21 days.

Following the latest hearing, the TC said there was evidence Varsani had been operating without a licence and he had been untruthful in the statements he had given him.

Baker also said he was not going to indicate when the operator could make another application for a licence: “The issue with Mr Varsani is one of trust and it would be wrong to say that in 12 or 24 months he should be able to demonstrate that he can be trusted,” he said.

“He has shown over several years a willingness to ignore the regulatory requirements surrounding operator licensing.”