Norfolk operator ‘refused to engage’ with inquiry

Chris Tindall
October 17, 2024

 

A Norwich-based operator that ignored the undertakings it gave at a public inquiry when its licence was curtailed has now had it revoked and the directors disqualified indefinitely.

Traffic commissioner Nicholas Denton said he could not trust Greene Contracting UK in Stratton Strawless to comply in the future after it refused to engage in the inquiry process and then didn’t turn up to its second PI.

In 2023, the company – which at that time was trading as Aboveall Scaffolding - appeared before the TC where he found that there were large gaps between preventative maintenance inspections; no brake testing had been carried out; the driver defect reporting system was ineffective and there was no effective monitoring of drivers’ hours infringements.

As a result, the company’s licence was suspended for three weeks and curtailed from six to four trucks and the operator agreed to various undertakings.

These included having laden brake tests at each safety inspection; an independent compliance audit would be carried out and that it would employ a transport consultant.

TC Denton said one of the company’s two directors, Russell McVey, then resigned and was replaced by Darren Greene and the company’s name was changed to Greene Contracting.

These changes were not notified to the TC’s office and it also failed to submit the audit it had promised to carry out.

Greene later told the office he had acquired the business but had not been aware of the undertakings it had previously agreed to. The audit was eventually completed but it found a range of problems at the business, including the failure to find a consultant and no evidence of any driver licence checks being carried out.

The company did not appear at its second PI and Denton said no explanation was given for its failure to attend.

“The company has largely ignored the undertakings it gave at the July 2023 public inquiry and which enabled me to allow the licence to continue, albeit in a curtailed state and after a suspension,” Denton said.

“It has refused to engage in the inquiry process and has failed to reply to all correspondence and phone calls since the call-up letter was issued. I find that the company is no longer fit to hold an operator’s licence.”

About the Author

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Chris Tindall

Chris Tindall started writing for the haulage and logistics industry in 2002 and has covered a broad range of significant issues, including GPS jamming by criminals, platooning and Brexit.

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