West Midlands Traffic Commissioner (TC) Nick Denton stated in a decision last month that operators must have a vehicle available to operate at all times to be able to hold an O-licence.
A Birmingham public inquiry (PI) regarding Solihull-based Cityway Logistics, heard from sole director Vajshi Ranavaya that currently the company did not have a vehicle. He said he had “hired in a bit but wanted to retain the licence just in case”. He had been driving about eight to 15 days a month when the company previously had a vehicle.
Ranavaya assured the TC that he had more than the required amount of rest even though he was working as a transport manager for Smethwick-based Thandi Coaches. The TC pointed out that Ranavaya had not been recording his transport manager work for Thandi Coaches as other work on days that he drove for Cityway Logistics, which was a legal requirement that as a transport manager he should have known.
After hearing that Ranavaya might be retiring in the near future, the TC said that in relation to the Cityway Logistics licence he was prepared to be flexible. Ranavaya either had to put a vehicle on the licence by January 2019 or surrender it.
By Michael Jewell
