A bid for a new licence was refused after the applicant walked out of a public inquiry having been unable to answer questions about financial standing and the operation's transport manager.
The application from Stockfield Storage & Distribution for an eight-vehicle national licence was turned down by the North-Western Traffic Commissioner, Beverley Bell. The firm's directors, Amanda and Kelly Holt, are the daughters of disqualified Oldham haulier Stephen Holt.
In addition, the TC adjourned consideration of action against the licences held by John McGill, trading as Safehands Transport, and by Carl Bourne, trading as Carl Bourne Tipper Hire, because of their apparent links with Holt.
The TC said there had been a call that morning from a Stephen Wolstenholme, who had said nobody from Stockfield was attending. There was a subsequent call from Kelly Holt saying she was on her way.
In reply to the TC, Kelly Holt said she did not 
know who Wolstenholme was. She denied the application had been made on behalf of her father, but she was unable to explain why she had not brought the transport manager, Robert Chambers, or any financial evidence with her.
Pressed by the TC, she walked out of the public inquiry. Refusing the application, the TC said she was satisfied it was a sham.
Bourne said he had given up operating last August because of the credit crunch. In October, he was approached by McGill to do some maintenance and driving. Then in January he was approached by Chambers, who said he was starting up Stockfield; Bourne agreed to be its nominated mechanic. He was asked by McGill to take a load to the West Midlands, but was met by VOSA officers at the yard. He found out about Stephen Holt's history and left.
In reply to the TC, Bourne said he had only found out in the last couple of months that his transport manager, Robert Prince, had been Stephen Holt's transport manager. He had never met Stephen 
Holt. Prince was not a well man and he had asked Chambers to become his transport manager. Bourne added that he had "got dragged into the situation unwillingly".
Adjourning consideration of Bourne's licence until July on an undertaking that he would not operate any vehicles in the intervening period, the TC said she wanted to examine matters in more detail because she was very concerned about his involvement. She also adjourned consideration of McGill's licence until the same date.
Suspicious mind
The TC is concerned about links with a haulier who had his licence revoked and had been disqualified from holding an O-licence.