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Roberts' repute is factor in renewal
Page 28
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• Wrexham owner-driver Barry Roberts has had his licence revoked by North Western Licensing Authority Martin Albu but has been granted a new one for one vehicle and one trailer at a Manchester public inquiry
Roberts, of Hillock Lane, Gresforc.1, Wrexham, previously held a licence authorising the operation of three vehicles and two trailers.
Albu said one of the problems had been that vehicle examiners had been unable to get in touch with Roberts.
Asked why he had not replied to letters, Roberts maintained that he had replied to the ones he had received. He said there was nobody to answer the telephone during the day. He had tied to telephone the vehicle examiner but without success.
Questioned by the LA about a solicitor's letter referring to a voluntary arrangement to pay off debts, Roberts said that was concluded in October 1991.
He had been advised that it was not necessary to inform the Licensing Authority unless he was bankrupt.
That was debatable, said Albu. In his view it was a change that affected the licence and he should have been informed. However, it was water under the bridge now, Roberts was convicted of a series of offences in June. He was fined £250 for the fraudulent use of a vehicle excise licence, and given a conditional discharge for two years for offences of using a vehicle without an excise licence, for which he was also ordered to pay back duty: failing to produce tachograph records; using a vehicle with an uncalibratecl tachograph; using a vehicle without a speed limiter; and using a vehicle and trailer with out annual test certificates. On the face of it. they were a pretty horrific set of offences, said the LA. gone through a bad period of about a year. He had since tried, and he thought succeeded, in putting things right.
For Roberts, it was said that the haulage business had been started by his father. When his father died Roberts went into partnership with his brother after buying his sister out. His brother then walked out and he was forced into buying his brother out. That was what caused the voluntary arrangement. His wife went back into full-time employment and became the main breadwinner. His daughter had just started university and had not been given a grant. Roberts thought he could not afford his personal and business commitments, and that was why the offences had been committed. He had survived financial disaster and during that time he maintained his vehicle in good condition.
Albu said the courts had taken a lenient attitude towards the offences. However, he did not regard them as mild matters. They were serious matters, going to the heart of the operator licensing system. On the other hand, he took into account Roberts' long standing good repute before the offences were committed.