Gloucestershire-based K&B Haulage is no longer fit to hold an operators licence, the Traffic Commissioner for the West of England has ruled, after a public inquiry uncovered “severe and persistent” compliance failings.
K & B Haulage Limited had a restricted goods vehicle operator’s licence for ten vehicles and ten trailers, which it operated from Sling in the Forest of Dean. The sole director is Kyle Gettings.
A DVSA inspection in August last year, which raised serious safety concerns, resulted in West of England Traffic Commissioner Kevin Rooney calling Gettings and the company’s former transport manager Richard Simcox to a public inquiry in December last year.
The inquiry found that K&B Haulage Limited was guilty of a series of serious compliance failures, including the operation of multiple vehicles without valid tax or MOTs for extended periods.
The company’s vehicles were also found to be poorly maintained and underwent infrequent safety inspections - with some vehicles operating in dangerous conditions, including one driven with three bald tyres, after being declared unroadworthy.
Driver hours were mismanaged, and tachograph downloads were delayed by up to 237 days, with drivers failing to record required manual entries.
In addition, there was a lack of oversight from former transport manager Richard Simcox who was found to have failed to fulfil basic compliance duties, contributing to widespread operational failings and a culture of non-compliance.
The operator also engaged in subcontracting work to a company without the required operator’s licence, violating legal requirements, and Gettings admitted to lying during a DVSA investigation and failed to cooperate with vehicle inspections.
The commissioner determined that K & B Haulage Limited was no longer fit to hold an operator’s licence.
The company’s licence has been revoked, and its director, Kyle Gettings, has been disqualified as an operator for a period of two years.
Transport manager Richard Simcox has also lost his good repute and been disqualified for an extended period.
Commissioner Rooney said “The compliance shortcomings alone with vehicles untaxed, untested and un-inspected, the lack of any drivers’ hours management or working time, mean that this is not a business I can have any confidence will be compliant in the future.
“The operation has been so dangerous that it must come to an end… The shortcomings I have found reflect a recklessness on the part of the operator, and a recklessness that is shown still to persist by the actions in October.
“Road safety has been compromised and the use of a Ltd Company driver is unfair competition.”