Well, now we know where we stand. Anybody who dares to expose wrongdoing by the authorities can expect to be put out of business.
I am referring to Philip Higgs who had his O-Licence revoked and was disqualified by Deputy Traffic Commissioner (DTC) John Baker, now upheld on appeal [routeone/Court Report/20 December].
His crime? Posting a video which purported to show Senior Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell breaking motoring laws. This video was taken in a public place, and yet he stands accused of invading Mrs Bell’s privacy. But the government snoops on us all the time and that's alright? One law for Traffic Commissioners (TCs) – one for the rest of us, it seems.
Apparently Mr Higgs posted his videos under an assumed name, and this is taken as proof that he knew what he was doing was ‘wrong’. But that is not illegal.
Why has Mr Higgs not been charged with a crime? Simple – he hasn’t committed one. Yet both the DTC and the Upper Tribunal have concluded that he has lost his ‘repute’. The repute of the person who allegedly broke the law, meanwhile, remains unsullied.
These are the people who hold the power of life and death over our businesses. How can we possibly have any faith in the regulatory regime anymore?
Hugo Miller, Arun Coaches, Horsham
