Haulage boss loses licence to operate
The boss of a Black Country haulage firm has had his operator's licence revoked after using more vehicles than authorised and using an unlicensed lorry, driven by a disqualified driver.
The boss of a Black Country haulage firm has had his operator's licence revoked after using more vehicles than authorised and using an unlicensed lorry, driven by a disqualified driver.
George Garmston, aged 43, of George Garmston Light Haulage in Popes Lane, Oldbury, was disqualified for a year.
From September, Mr Garmston will be banned from holding or obtaining a licence as an individual, partner, director or holder of any controlling interest in a company.
Deputy Traffic Commissioner Lester Maddrell said: "Mr Garmston has shown himself unworthy of the trust that the licensing system had placed on him, and upon which that system relies."
Mr Garmston was fined more than £3,000 on June 16 for using a 32-ton unlicensed lorry, which was carrying steel coils.
He allowed the unregistered HGV to be used from his base in The Crescent, Wednesbury, Walsall Magistrates Court was told.
The lorry was stopped by the during a routine check on the A454 Keyway in Willenhall, on September 24 last year.
The driver, it later emerged, had been disqualified from driving.
Mr Garmston was convicted of using a licence disc with intent to deceive.
Mr Maddrell added: "The events of September 24 last year alone, taking place against the background of not returning discs as required so that they were available to be used on non-specified vehicles, would have been sufficient to justify revocation."
Mr Maddrell said Mr Garmston had used an unlicensed operating centre in Potters Lane in Wednesbury, in addition to his registered base at Popes Lane, from 2008 and took no steps to add to the licence until July 2009.
Mr Garmston was also convicted on May 5 last year of seven tachograph offences. A tachograph logs the hours a driver spends behind the wheel.
Mr Garmston attended a course on drivers' hours and tachographs on October 17 last year, for which he was given credit.
He did however plead guilty to offences of using more vehicles than authorised, permitting no insurance and permitting unlicensed driving.
