News

Two TCs have warned operators that they are cracking down on anyone who is trying to dodge the O-licensing regulations or leave creditors in the lurch. The comments come in the Traffic Commissioners' Annual Reports 2008-09. Western TC Sarah Bell says in her annual report that despite the economic downturn, the work of the TCs has not decreased, just that "the emphasis  has changed".

"The applications received increasingly involve the potential transfer of operations that have gone into administration or liquidation," says Bell. "Commissioners are ever watchful for phoenix applications." She adds that she will continue to check that applications are genuine, "as opposed to a scheme to avoid creditors".

Scottish TC Joan Aiken comments: "We are taking closer interest than ever before in who is holding and controlling any licence that comes under regulatory scrutiny. At the worst end of the spectrum, where licences are revoked and people disqualified, we are alive to the strong possibility that those who have operated non-compliantly will seek to continue in business through the medium of a family member or other stooge arrangements."

She continues: "I am highly motivated to uncover such arrangements because they strike against all the compliant operators and the work they lose by being undercut." Also revealed in the reports was a  16.7% decrease in the number of applications for new licences - from 7,250 in 2007-08 to 6,040 this year - and there was a decrease of 14.6% in the number of variation applications, from 8,013 to 6,843.

The total number of licences in issue dropped 3%, from 98,316 in 2007-08 to 95,436 this year, while the total number of vehicles specified on licences fell 4.8% to 362,706. The overall size of the average fleet was 3.8 vehicles per operator, down just 0.1% on the previous year's figures. Some 5,267 operators chose not to continue their O-licences in the 12 months to 31 March 2009, marking a 264% increase on the 1,445 that didn't seek continuations the previous year.

The number of Public Inquiries (PIs) was also up in the year. PIs held for non-compliance showed an increase of 18% from 840 to 995. A total of 78 operators were disqualified during the year compared to 45 last year. However, this year's most notable change was in the level of licence revocations, which saw a large increase of 66% from 187 last year to 310 this year.