Kevin Rooney, Traffic Commissioner (TC) for the West of England held a Public Inquiry in Bristol on the 2 October for two West Oxfordshire coach operators. Both operators had their O-licences revoked from the 17 November 2018.
The licence of Mark Griffiths t/a Mark One Travel was revoked on financial standing grounds, while the licence of KOK Coach & Taxi Brokers Ltd was revoked for lack of financial standing and good repute.
Roger Alder, who was involved with KOK, was disqualified from holding or obtaining an O-licence or being involved in the management, administration or control of the transport operations of an entity that holds or obtains such a licence in Great Britain with immediate effect and for a period of five years.
The revocations of the two operators licences followed a number of serious driving infringements, which included among a number of other offences, a driver using Mr Alder’s old driving card.
There was also concern that the lines between the two operators had become blurred as some Mark One vehicles were registered in Mr Alders name.
Mr Alder had also previously been a director of McLeans Coaches (Contracts) Ltd, Witney, which was called to a public inquiry but had been placed into liquidation before the hearing date.
The liquidators had told him that he no longer had a role in the business so he did not attend the inquiry.
He said he was then shocked to find that he had been personally disqualified from holding or having any management role with an operator licence.
He subsequently applied for his disqualification to be lifted, which was refused by TC Bell.
The disqualification was then lifted by TC Denton during March 2017, the day after Mr Alder applied online to be a director of KOK.
