Senior directors of UK-based crane rental company Baldwins have had their right to hold a heavy goods licence revoked for up to five years.
The traffic commissioner disqualified the four directors after up to 18 drivers were caught falsifying records to show rest breaks being taken when they were not.
The ruling covers the company’s fleet of heavy goods vehicles and trailers but does not impact on its mobile cranes which will operate as normal. The ban will impact Baldwin’s fleet of heavy cranes while its 81 mobile cranes are covered by a different licence not affected by the traffic commissioner’s ruling.
The commissioner’s verdict said: “To allow for an orderly wind down of the heavy crane part of the business and taking into account its specialised nature and the apparent scarcity of the services it provides, revocation will take effect from 23:59 hours on Saturday 10 September 2016.”
Under the ruling Richard Baldwin is disqualified from applying for or holding a goods vehicle operator’s licence for one year. Wayne Baldwin is disqualified for five years and Andrew Skelton for two years.
Lorraine Baldwin is disqualified from applying for or holding a goods vehicle operator’s licence in any traffic area for an indefinite period, but may apply to have the disqualification lifted at any time but will need to appear before a traffic commissioner to explain how she met her statutory duties.
Traffic commissioner Kevin Rooney said: “The falsification of records to make it appear that drivers had taken appropriate rest goes absolutely to the heart of road safety. In the case of this operator, five out of seven drivers investigated in 2014 were found to be so offending. A follow-up investigation in 2015 found the offending, if anything had worsened with 18 drivers found to be offending.
“The failures at Baldwins Crane Hire are so significant, so deep-rooted and inspired by the very top of the business that I find it entirely appropriate that this licence be revoked.”
In a company statement executive chairman Richard Baldwin said: “In giving his decision, traffic commissioner Kevin Rooney disqualified Richard, Wayne, Lorraine Baldwin and Andy Skelton from being directors of a company holding a goods vehicle operator’s licence.
“For the sake of clarification, this disqualification only relates to the individuals being directors or senior managers in a company that holds an operator’s licence .
“The disqualification does not prevent them being a director or senior manager in any other company – for example the crane hire company. These are different from disqualifications which are registered at Companies House. The disqualifications are, in any event, to be appealed along with the decision to revoke the company’s operator’s licence.”
The Baldwins name has been associated with the Crane Industry since 1957 when it operated as a private partnership in crane hire and industrial removals.
Over the past years Baldwins has carried out many major lifts which cover the full range of lifting operations. Baldwins is currently working with major UK contractors on many high-profile contracts.
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Robert Broadie
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