The company argued that the offences were not deliberate, and were issued a warning by the TC
No action was taken against the licences held by Sellafield Ltd or its Transport Managers followings convictions in relation to the disposal of nuclear waste.
The convictions led to fines totalling £700,000. However, Traffic Commissioner Simon Evans issued the company with a warning for its failure to notify the convictions in a timely manner.
The company, of Seascale, with an international goods vehicle O-Licence authorising 35 vehicles and 68 trailers and a national PSV O-licence authorising 20 vehicles, had been called before the Commissioner at a Golborne Public Inquiry.
The TC said the issues were the repute of the company and its transport managers following its conviction in 2013 at Carlisle Crown Court on seven offences arising out of an incident in 2010 relating to the handling of nuclear waste, and the failure of the company to notify those convictions in a timely manner.
The company was fined £100,000 on each offence. At a subsequent Court of Appeal hearing in regard to the amount of the fines, the judge referred to a certain laxness and complacency. In relation to its licences, there was nothing to the detriment of the company in regard to transport compliance.
For the company, Alison Messenger said that the offences were not at all deliberate and were very much a strict liability issue. It was not an ongoing issue and it had had no impact on the transport operations, which were carried out at a very high level.
The failure to notify in a timely manner was due to a misunderstanding and there had not been any deliberate concealment. It was something that came to light at the time of the licence review.
Company Secretary Andrew Carr said that the offences arose out a new waste route they had been working very hard with the regulator to use. They had been trying to get the best possible way of dealing with the waste. Mistakes and errors were made in relation to the procurement and use of new equipment.
Transport Manager John Thomas said that the PSV vehicles were used for moving VIP and high profile visitors.
Taking no action other than to issue the warning, the Commissioner said there was always a suspicion when there was a failure to notify convictions in a timely manner.
