News

A Middlesex haulage company has escaped the threat of revocation after proving that it wasn't set up as a front for a recycling company whose licence was revoked 18 months ago. However, Pinkleaf's licence has been cut by two vehicles after Deputy Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps found that its prohibition record was unacceptable.

Suspicions were aroused after vehicles belonging to Iver Recycling (UK), which had its licence revoked in December 2006, were found being operated by Pinkleaf.  A Metropolitan Police check also revealed that one vehicle was insured in the names of "Pinkleaf and/or Iver Recycling". When traffic examiner Caroline Jenkins interviewed Pinkleaf director William Cleveland, he explained he didn't own all the vehicles, but was paying Iver for them over two years.

Further investigations showed Cleveland had been a manager at Iver Recycling for four years. He also turned up to a VOSA vehicle check in a pick-up vehicle registered to Iver. VOSA investigations found that six PG9s had been issued between October and December 2007, one of which was S-marked. Roadside inspections showed a 75% failure rate. However, it had a 100% annual-test pass rate.

An Eastbourne public inquiry heard that following Iver Recycling's licence revocation, the owner agreed with Pinkleaf director Jaswinder Matharu to sell him the assets. Cleveland claimed that had they known about Iver's regulatory history, they would not have bought the vehicles. DTC Heaps  concluded that there was "no evidence of a 'sham' arrangement" but added that the prohibition record and the DDR failings in the early months of the licence "are unacceptable". However, he accepted that the company has taken steps to address the failings by the appointment of a new transport manager.

He added: "As a marker for the future and to enable the company to use such decisions to persuade its drivers of the need for greater care and vigilance in carrying out their duties, I determine that the licence should be curtailed by two vehicles for two weeks."