Two partners from a haulage firm in Halesowen have received an indefinite disqualification after attempting to lend out their O-licence through an online forum.
Deputy Traffic Commissioner, Nick Denton, expressed his strong disapproval of Philip Carthy and Steven Edgington’s actions, which he described as “a wholly disgraceful act.” The disqualification came as a result of a public inquiry (PI) in Birmingham, which the two men failed to attend.
Operating under the name Chase TPT Services, the company held a licence for three vehicles and two trailers. However, an observant case worker at the Office of the TC’s Leeds office noticed a suspicious post on TransportForum.com made by a user named ‘Phil1953.’ The post, dated 13 March 2023, advertised an available O-licence for rent, stating, “I currently have an O license with 3 spaces for 3 vehicles, if anybody is interested.” The email address provided in the post matched the contact address for the licence OD0253702, which was held by Philip Carthy and Steven Edgington.
The deputy TC discovered that the day after the post, an HGV was specified on the same licence. Several comments followed on the forum, including one from a user named ‘Lorry’ who displayed a similar level of knowledge regarding O-licensing law as Philip Carthy. ‘Lorry’ inquired about the price, showing interest in the illicit offer. However, other users, namely ‘Bluecorn’ and ‘LanarkshireDave,’ demonstrated a better understanding of the situation, warning about potential consequences with comments such as ‘A great way to get invited for no tea and biscuits with the TC’ and ‘I smell a revocation coming on.’ These predictions eventually proved accurate.
Deputy TC Denton pointed out that Carthy, who also served as the transport manager for Chase TPT Services, should have been well aware of licensing laws and the fact that licences cannot be transferred. He emphasized that such actions allowed entities that might not meet the stringent requirements for obtaining an O-licence to operate HGVs under the guise of a legitimate licence holder, a situation he found deeply unethical.
As a result of their actions and the loss of their repute, Denton revoked their licence and imposed an indefinite disqualification. Despite their age, being in their 70s, he hoped they would not consider re-entering the industry, and the disqualification aimed to ensure they did not.
