PTS Group (Norfolk) Ltd, trading as Wrights Coaches, whose three-vehicle international O-Licence was revoked in September 2021, has succeeded in its bid for a fresh international licence, though Traffic Commissioner (TC) Richard Turfitt has only granted it in respect of five vehicles, and not the seven sought, because of concern over the operating centre, with a robust warning as to future compliance.
In September 2021 Deputy TC Miles Dorrington revoked the previous licence after evidence of vehicle maintenance issues and that the sole Director and Transport Manager (TM) Matthew Wright had committed 41 drivers’ hours and records offences and had on one occasion been on duty for 24 hours during which he had driven on a school run and on a rail replacement service. The DTC disqualified both the company and Mr Wright from holding or obtaining a PSV O-Licence for 12 months, and Mr Wright from acting as a TM for two years. His PCV driving licence was suspended for six months.
In support of the application for a fresh O-Licence, undertakings were given relating to the type of vehicle to be operated and to maintain a list of vehicles with the licensing team of the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, as well as regular brake testing.
Mr Wright said that he thought that he had underestimated the challenges which he would face as a young, slightly naïve 27-year-old about to embark into the realms of business ownership and coach operating. Slightly wary about trusting others, he made a few bad decisions. Now, with a support network around the company, he was determined to make Wrights Coaches a success once more.
As the owner of a business, he understood that he bore the ultimate responsibility for the company, but if there was an individual who specialised in a certain element of the business to help it function, develop, and grow, it would be foolish of him to not utilise their skills.
Since the 2021 Public Inquiry (PI), PTS Group (Norfolk) had been operating effectively as a broker, taking on coach hire bookings, and then sub-contracting them out to other local companies. It had employed the services of a qualified TM. It was going to invest in remote tachograph download technology for the vehicles.
Further undertakings were given not to act as a package coach holiday operator and to commission an independent audit to assess the systems for complying with the O-Licence requirements, and the effectiveness with which those systems were implemented.
Granting the licence for five vehicles, the TC said that while details of the proposed operating centre had been supplied showing where the proposed seven vehicles would be parked, there was not the evidence of permission or invoicing beyond that for five.
The company was at liberty to seek to vary that licence condition in future, and in the meantime would be well advised to consider the published statutory guidance on the capacity of operating centres. The site plan would be attached to the licence record.
