A Lancashire operator who admitted he did not know whether his vehicles were operating while he was on holiday in January has had consideration of action against his licence adjourned for further Vosa investigations. John Cowie holds an international licence for five vehicles and two trailers, and had been called before North Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell. He was seeking to increase the authorisation to 10 vehicles and two trailers, and to move to a new operating centre in Burnley.
The TC reminded him that when she adjourned the case in January she was told the vehicles would not be used while Cowie was on holiday. Vehicle examiner Stephen Kelsall said some defects on issued prohibitions showed drivers were not using the defect reporting system properly. Cowie said his three Hungarian drivers understood English, but were not very good at writing it. He maintained they understood the defect report books, saying they were told that if they were not sure about a defect in English to write it in Hungarian. They had been shown the Vosa DVD and understood it visually.
He had moved operating centre in May following a dispute with the owners of the authorised operating centre, IPG Commercials, who were the then maintenance contractors, over being charged for work that had not been done. Asked about a vehicle he had been driving in December, Cowie said it belonged to R J International, for whom he worked as a sub-contractor.
More Information Required The TC adjourned the proceedings because she wanted the January operations to be looked at by Vosa, along with the relationship with R J International.
