News

A firm that must pay to have its impounded vehicle returned has succeeded in its bid for a new O-licence after a DTC considered that it had "suffered enough". Paul Robert Kewley & Partners of Liverpool had applied for a new two-vehicle restricted licence before North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Mark Hinchliffe.

The North Western Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell had earlier refused to return its one vehicle, which had been impounded. For the firm, Charles Stansfied said that  it had been told by VOSA that if a licence was granted, it could pay a sum of money and the vehicle would be returned.

The DTC pointed out that a previous licence held by partner Kevin Keeley had been revoked in 2004. Stansfied said that the vehicle had been properly maintained throughout, but the firm had not dealt with the O-licensing paperwork properly, in particular, a change of operating centre.

Partner Paul Kewley had submitted an O-licence application. Traffic Area Office records showed that application had been withdrawn, but he could not remember withdrawing it and thought the licence had been granted. The vehicle had been submitted for test each year and the firm believed that anything wrong would have been drawn to its attention.The company undertook to keep an appointment that had been arranged with a transport consultant and to follow his advice.

The DTC considered that the firm had suffered enough, saying that they had lost their vehicle and were having  to pay to get it back.

Lesson learned

The DTC was satisfied that a lesson had been learnt and that the firm now understood the need for compliance with the regulations.