

A Neath Port Talbot operator has had its O-licence revoked after the deputy traffic commissioner said it had one of the worst traffic examiner’s reports he’d seen in a decade.
Sole trader Timothy Williams, trading as T. Williams Plant Hire in Pontardawe, was found “beyond any reasonable doubt” to have falsified records produced to DVSA examiners with the intention of deceiving them into believing they were completed on the date of the inspection record declaration.
Investigations into the business, which was authorised to run three vehicles and three trailers, were carried out after the DVSA issued one of the operator’s vehicles with an S-marked prohibition for a deep cut in one of the wheels and an oil leak.
Substantial failings were found and the operator found itself at a PI before DTC Anthony Seculer.
The failings included a lack of a responsible person have sufficient up-to-date knowledge of O-licence requirements; a lack of a designated maintenance contractor; inadequate driver walk-round checks; six-weekly inspection intervals not being adhered to; a failure to produce 15 months of safety inspection records; incomplete records and doubts over the authenticity of those provided.
For tacho and drivers’ hours compliance, systems were “generally non-existent”.
DTC Seculer found that the operator had breached a condition to notify the TC of a change in maintenance arrangements; statements made when applying for the licence were either false or had not been fulfilled and it had failed to keep vehicles and trailers fit and serviceable.
In a written decision, the DTC said: “The range of failings in maintenance and monitoring of tachographs/drivers’ hours is serious and long-standing.
“The traffic examiner operator report is as bad as I have seen in over 10 years in this jurisdiction with ‘No System/Procedure in place, or, if in place, not working’ in 12 out of 21 categories and improvements required in three others.
“I found the operator to be unconvincing, unprofessional and not wholly forthcoming in his evidence. For example, the response ‘Pass’ when asked to explain the imprints on the inspection sheets.”
The DTC noted that the operator was pleasant and courteous during the investigation and at the PI and that it was the first appearance since the O-licence was granted more than 10 years ago.
But he said he’d demonstrated a lack of integrity and respect for the licensing regime. The O-licence was revoked and Williams was also disqualified for 12 months.