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A Metropolitan Police investigation into a haulage and recovery company's tachograph records uncovered "terrifying" speeds being driven by one of its employees. Xcalibur Enterprises, trading as Eveans, has had its licence cut to two vehicles after Deputy Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps found that vehicles were being driven so fast that even the company's solicitors acknowledged some action was required.

In January 2007 police demanded that transport manager Lloyd Bailey hand over  tacho records for all of 2006. Examination of 213 charts from 1 September to 4 December revealed 141 breaches, many of which related to a driver called John Hogger Snr. Nearly half of the records showed speeds exceeding 68mph and on occasion vehicles had travelled at 80mph, a speed Police Constable Coombes described as "astonishing" for a 44-tonne vehicle. There was also evidence of drivers' hours breaches and insufficient daily rests.

Bailey said Hogger was dismissed in December 2006 and only one of the drivers whose offences were found now remained at the company. Heaps said: "PC Coombes described the persistent speeding by the company's 44-tonne articulated vehicles as "astonishing". I would choose a stronger word to describe such speeds by such vehicles - perhaps 'terrifying' would be more appropriate."

However because of Hogger's dismissal, the appointment of the Road Haulage Association to analyse tacho records and the one-year gap since the speeding offences, he drew  back from finding the company had lost its repute. He added: "I make no finding against Mr Bailey's repute as transport manager, but it is clear his repute has been seriously damaged. "The licence should be curtailed from six vehicles to two. In making this determination, I remind myself that only three vehicles are currently specified on the licence."