Operator disqualified after second public inquiry in six months06 October 2014

A cash and carry business has been disqualified from operating vehicles after being called to a public inquiry for the second time this year.

Traffic commissioner Nick Denton (pictured) told the directors of Fio's Cash and Carry that he could not trust the business to get things right in the future. If it went out of business, he added, it was down to their "lack of real action" after the first inquiry.

The company, which operated from Tottenham and Peterborough, was called to a public inquiry in April 2014, after serious maintenance and drivers' hours problems were reported. Its two licences were curtailed from five to two vehicles immediately.

However, directors failed to keep promises made at the hearing and four vehicles were operated from the Peterborough site until 10 April.

During the second inquiry, on 23 September, Denton noted that company director Hakan Kocak had not complied with an undertaking to attend an operator licence management course by 30 June. He attended the course six weeks late, on 13 August.

In addition, the operator had not arranged for an independent audit of maintenance and drivers' hours systems.

There were numerous defects on vehicles and drivers were also continuing to commit significant infringements, the commissioner heard. Letters issued by the company to drivers about the offences had clearly been post dated, the commissioner said.

"The company's almost total lack of real action since the public inquiry in April, despite the very serious nature both of the shortcomings discussed at that inquiry and the regulatory action I took at the end of it, means that it deserves to go out of business (if this is the result)."

Making an order to disqualify director Hakan Kocak, the commissioner commented: "Even today, he does not understand the compliance responsibilities that come with being the director of a company holding a licence."

Denton also disqualified the company's other director, Arthur Zoga, who did not attend the hearing and, said the commissioner, had little interest in the transport side of the business.

Both directors will be disqualified for six months 23 October. The company's two licences will be revoked on the same date.

Author
Laura Cork

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