Three-year ban for owner of Bristol chilled food transport firm17 November 2017
The owner of a Bristol chilled food transport firm has been banned for three years after two of his drivers were jailed for falsifying their driving records.
West of England traffic commissioner Kevin Rooney said the failings of Adam Pawelczyk’s business were “widespread and deeply serious”, with one driver found guilty of making false records on 45 occasions.
Another driver was convicted of knowingly making false records on 17 occasions.
DVSA inspectors found two drivers, Karol Brzykcy and Tadeusz Dabrowski, had made use of a driver card belonging to Pawelczyk to hide excessive driving. Pawelczyk had lost his card and was unaware the drivers were using it – having no procedures in place to check. The offending was identified following a roadside encounter of one of his vehicles.
Further analysis of records by a DVSA examiner revealed offences had in fact been committed by drivers across the business.
At a public inquiry in Bristol on 30 October, the regulator also heard that Pawelczyk had operated vehicles illegally by using the licence of another business, Mike 1 (Bristol), to increase his operations. He also failed to provide evidence of his financial standing to the inquiry or that his transport manager had undertaken any of his statutory duties.
Rooney remarked: “The seriousness of the drivers’ hours matters is illustrated by the prison sentences served by two of his drivers.
“Drivers used Mr Pawelczyk’s digital tachograph card to hide driving over long periods of time and failing to take adequate rest.
“The compliance failings are widespread and deeply serious such that Mr Pawelczyk has lost his good repute.”
The traffic commissioner’s disqualification order against Pawelczyk took immediate effect. His operator’s licence was also revoked on the day of the hearing and the findings will be passed to the Polish authorities where Pawelczyk also operates a haulage business.
In addition, Antoni Pawelczyk was disqualified from acting as a transport manager in any member state for three years.
The regulator also refused a new licence application from AdamP Transport, whose company director is Pawelczyk’s wife.
Author
Laura Cork
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