An Aldershot operator who lied to a traffic commissioner about the use of vehicles before its licence was granted has escaped revocation after it recruited a staff member to organise the business. However, deputy TC John Baker said the licence held by OTT Scaffolding Services would be suspended for a month to reflect the seriousness of the case.
The operator appeared before the TC after a DVSA traffic examiner suspected one of its vehicles of being overloaded, as well as being operated without an MOT. When OTT’s licence was granted in August 2020, sole director Ashley Baker claimed that the previous lending of an O-licence to him, as well as the unlawful use of HGVs, had been due to a misunderstanding and once he had realised the consequences of doing so he had parked up his HGVs. However, ANPR checks showed that the company’s vehicles had been used dozens of times in the run-up to the first PI.
In his written decision, the DTC said there had been breaches in that vehicles had not been kept in a fit and serviceable condition; documentation requested by the DVSA was lacking and drivers’ hours records were missing.
“It is also obvious to me and accepted eventually by Mr Baker that what he told me in relation to use of the vehicles prior to the grant of the licence in August 2020 was false,” the DTC said.
He added that taking on an employee to organise the business could make the business compliant and so he stepped back from revocation.
