CWM Transport has had its goods vehicle operator’s licence revoked with immediate effect after a Traffic Commissioner found widespread failures involving drivers’ hours, tachographs, vehicle maintenance and operator compliance.
Traffic Commissioner Kevin Rooney also disqualified CWM Transport and sole director Carl Wood from applying for or holding a goods vehicle operator’s licence indefinitely, with leave to apply.
The decision followed a DVSA investigation into the Newbury-based operator, which held a standard international licence authorising 16 vehicles and 10 trailers from operating centres in Newbury, Abingdon and Thatcham.
A DVSA investigation began after vehicle FE66 RUW was recorded by ANPR being used on the public road 467 times over 58 days between 1 December 2023 and 2 April 2024.
The DVSA had asked the operator to explain the vehicle’s use, and then transport manager Lisa Murphy said it had only been moved in preparation for, and to attend, an MOT.
A subsequent unannounced fleet inspection on 27 January 2025 found four of five vehicles and one of three trailers inspected were prohibited.
The Traffic Commissioner said the inspection identified serious and obvious defects, including defects that had previously been recorded on preventative maintenance inspections but had not been rectified before vehicles were signed off as roadworthy.
He stated that the condition of the vehicles was “shameful”.
Further investigation found shortcomings in the operator’s maintenance arrangements. Nearly two in five inspections were carried out late, according to the decision, with some delayed by up to 12 to 16 weeks.
Tachograph analysis also identified multiple suspected falsified records and extensive missing mileage across five vehicles. At least eight drivers were potentially involved, including Wood.
The decision said there were “strong indications” that driver cards had been withdrawn while vehicles were being driven to conceal drivers’ working-time infringements and allow driving beyond legal limits.
Six drivers were subsequently called to conduct hearings.
Rafal Lozinski had his vocational entitlement suspended for six weeks from 25 July 2026 after being found to have driven with his driver card removed, made a false manual entry recording rest while driving, and committed three drivers’ hours offences.
Lukasz Stawarz had his vocational entitlement revoked from 25 July 2026 and was disqualified from holding it until 24 October 2027, largely because he used another driver’s card and drove off-card.
Wood’s vocational entitlement was suspended for 18 weeks from 25 July 2026 for driving off-card.
Artur Wijata received a 12-week suspension from 25 July 2026, while Mohammadmoein Azizi received a four-week suspension from 26 September 2026. Radu Cosmin Ilie received a five-week suspension.
The Traffic Commissioner noted that Azizi was driving in his first haulage job and had told the operator that he could not cope with the schedules he had been given. The decision also said he had received no training or support from the operator or transport manager.
Lisa Murphy, who was subsequently known as Lisa Wood, was also found to have lost her good repute as a transport manager.
Murphy submitted representations following the public inquiry, saying that her relationship with Wood had ended in February 2025 and that she had asked for additional support in her role but had been refused.
The decision noted that Murphy had become a director of CWM Transport in December 2024 and resigned on 17 February 2025.
However, Rooney found that she had failed to identify the falsified tachograph records or ensure that vehicles were properly maintained. He also criticised her explanation to DVSA concerning the use of the vehicle without an MOT.
He noted that: “The transport manager’s explanation that the movements were purely in relation to MOT preparation were clearly a barefaced lie with the vehicle having been sighted 467 times across 58 days in a 4-month period.”
Murphy has been disqualified from acting as a transport manager for 12 months and until she can demonstrate learning alongside a competent transport manager for at least three months.
Rooney concluded that the operator had failed to exercise effective compliance management and found that the company had lost its good repute.
He said: “The actions here are clearly deliberate – it was planned and permitted negligence: It had significant road safety and fair competition impact. It was supported with a lie on behalf of the company in respect of the untested vehicle.”
Neither CWM Transport nor Wood attended the public inquiry. Murphy subsequently contacted the Traffic Commissioner’s office, saying she had not received the papers or known about the inquiry until finding it through a Google search. Rooney allowed her to make representations after the hearing.
The Traffic Commissioner said the operation appeared to have ceased, despite 10 vehicles remaining specified on the licence.
The operator’s licence was revoked on findings including failures to manage drivers’ hours and tachographs, failure to keep vehicles fit and serviceable, lack of effective control and professional competence, loss of good repute and loss of financial standing.
CWM Transport and Wood are both disqualified indefinitely from applying for or holding a goods vehicle operator’s licence, although they have leave to apply.
