Administration watch

A record 494 British haulage businesses entered insolvency in 2023, nearly double the number two years earlier, according to the latest data from the Department for Business and Trade.

It is also estimated that 33% of businesses in the sector are deemed maximum risk, up from 22% 12 months ago.

At Motor Transport we track and report on all the latest company administrations and liquidations in the transport and logistics industry.

Administration Watch provides you with detailed news stories and features, in date order, of every affected operator and manufacturer.

Administration news

Telford haulage company in administration

Telford Transport Solutions, a West Midlands transport, 3PL and fulfilment specialist employing around 70 people, has entered administration.

Cumbrian haulier closes down with loss of 43 jobs

All staff working for a Cumbria haulage company have lost their jobs after it was placed into administration earlier this week, according to insolvency experts.

Latest Administration news

Eastern region haulier in liquidation

2026-09-24T10:59:00+01:00By Chris Tindall

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Lancashire’s JM Gorry struggled amid driver shortage

2026-09-21T10:45:00+01:00By Chris Tindall

Morecambe-based JM Gorry & Son closed down after coming under “immense strain” due to losing drivers in the years following Brexit, according to its administrator.

Bucks haulier that helped save iconic Jacks Hill Truckstop goes bust

2026-09-15T13:56:00+01:00By Carol Millett

Buckinghamshire haulier SpareRyb Logistics, which helped restore and reopen the iconic Jacks Hill Café and Truckstop in 2025, has entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation after its latest filed accounts revealed net liabilities of £683,572, with creditors owed more than £1.5m.

Sale of Trans Haul following cyberattack

2026-09-11T13:14:00+01:00By Chris Tindall

Stricken haulage and logistics firm Trans Haul (Europe) has been sold in a £170,000 pre-pack deal to a connected party, according to its administrator.

VG Mathers collapses into liquidation after 58 years

2026-09-07T10:04:00+01:00By Carol Millett

Aberdeenshire haulier VG Mathers has ceased trading and entered liquidation, citing an “unprecedented squeeze” from rising fuel and insurance costs, increased compliance burdens and higher vehicle maintenance expenses.

Haulier failed after losing major customer, says Pall-Ex

2026-09-03T15:49:00+01:00By Chris Tindall

An Avonmouth-based haulier ceased trading after losing a major customer that had relocated from the Bristol area, with Pall-Ex subsequently terminating its membership after the business confirmed it could no longer continue operating.

Insolvency data points to easing of pressure among hauliers

2026-09-03T10:42:00+01:00By Chris Tindall

Tentative signs the industry is beginning to recover after a difficult start to the year are reflected in insolvency figures, which showed a significant reduction in appointments of turnaround experts.

Lincolnshire logistics provider collapses

2026-08-21T10:25:00+01:00By Chris Tindall

Immingham-based freight firm Chambers and Cook (Eastern) has closed down after losing its biggest customer accounting for the majority of its revenue.

Pre-pack sale of Atlas to construction firm

2026-08-21T10:18:00+01:00By Chris Tindall

Grab hire and muck away business Atlas Bulk Carriers has been sold in a pre-pack deal worth over £300,000 after it entered administration due to a downturn in the construction sector.

‘Fragile’ sector’s insolvencies having implications beyond haulage

2026-08-13T15:57:00+01:00By Chris Tindall

The number of administrations and insolvencies in haulage this year has prompted renewed concerns over their wider impact, including freight capacity and the resilience of the country’s supply chains.

More Administration news

Opinion

When spare HGV capacity is actually worth filling

Accepting a backload can look like an easy commercial win, but mileage, waiting time and repositioning can erode its value fast. Dumitru Martînov of Houlvek sets out a practical framework for smaller fleets and owner-drivers to assess whether an additional load genuinely stacks up.

Why the AI tools your office buys quietly die

Plenty has been written about the big implementation that disappoints. The system goes in, the project is signed off, and the operation takes a year to catch up with it. That is a real problem and it deserves the attention.

Late payment is an unsecured loan your biggest customer takes without asking

The Commercial Payments Bill addresses a real problem, but it will not help your cashflow this quarter. Harvey Dhillon, ACMA CGMA, explains what the legislation actually proposes, why haulage is structurally exposed, and which operational disciplines deliver results now — before Parliament acts.

The transport office, not the cab: where AI actually earns its keep in road transport

Almost everything written about AI in road transport is about the vehicle. Autonomous braking, telematics, route optimisation that promises to shave miles off a manifest. That work matters. It also has very little to do with where the unpaid hours in a haulage business actually go, which is the office ...

Latest opinions