News

Traffic commissioner Beverley Bell has turned directly to VOSA to obtain missing vehicle inspection records from maintenance providers for Alba Transport and Logistics.

In an ongoing probe into the dealings of Lancashire haulier Ronald Hennessy, attention has turned to Alba, who bought Hennessy Transport (North Wales) last year. Traffic examiner Stephen Lyon told Bell that a number of inspection records for Alba's trucks from January to June 2006 were missing, but there were invoices for  the inspections. He was told there was trouble getting the sheets from the maintenance contractor because the vehicles were maintained in Hull as they were working on site.

Alba director Ian Manson said the maintenance contract was with JDS Trucks, Chadderton, but Alba could use any Renault dealership. The vehicles in Hull were maintained by Thompson Commercials and JDS had sent Manson a letter saying the missing inspection records had been archived at Leeds.

Manson said he was rebuffed when he contacted the Leeds branch for copies of the missing records. Lyon said the dates on available inspection records did not always match with dates the inspected vehicles were specified on Alba's licence.

The hearing was adjourned for a second time until December when Bell asked Lyon to approach JDS Trucks for the missing records. Traffic area staff would look into dates that vehicles were specified and removed from the licence.

Bell was originally investigating the  sale of Hennessy's business to Alba and a new licence application for ten trucks and ten trailers by Hennessy Transport Ltd. Both companies were to trade from the same Bolton operating centre.