The application was filed on May 11, 2021, but it is only now that the result may be made public due to an appeal to the Upper Tribunal in a connected matter and a further appeal.
The case had a complicated and troublesome history, according to the commissioner, with two previous cancelled licenses and the applicant, Anthony Hazell, losing his good repute twice as a transport manager.
In a written ruling dated December 19, 2019, Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones concluded that the petitioner “… poses a hazard to the PSV business since he is so terribly unskilled.”
He is both a director and a transport manager for other organizations, which is extremely concerning. Because no notice was served on him that these were factors, I am unable to impose any order or make any finding under section 28 of the Transport Act 1985 in connection to his employment as a transport manager.
Nonetheless, it is evident to me that he should leave the industry as soon as possible.” Traffic Commissioner Sarah Bell voiced “severe questions as to Mr Tony [Anthony] Hazell’s judgment and honesty” in her written decision of June 5, 2014.
“Even after huge amounts of guidance and support from DVSA, a warning from me, and help from the commercial sector,” she found him “wanting to such an unbearable degree.”
“Not capable or competent to run the required systems to ensure vehicles remain roadworthy while in service and in a lawful way,” according to Anthony Hazell.
There were concerns raised about the applicant’s ability to learn and develop. In May 2014, two passengers were killed and seven others were injured in a deadly accident involving one of Carmel’s vehicles.
After being found guilty of causing death by hazardous driving and causing serious harm by dangerous driving, the driver was sentenced to five and two years in jail, respectively (to run concurrently).
According to the authorities, a number of hands-free phone calls made by the driver during the voyage, one of which lasted for eight minutes at the time of the incident, were a major contributing factor. Until the commissioner pointed it out, the new company’s proposed mobile phone policy did not restrict such use.
“I consider that, given Carmel Coaches Ltd and Anthony Hazell’s previous failures to run a compliant operation, and with Mr Hazell having now lost his good repute as a transport manager and been disqualified twice, the onus is heavily on the applicant to convince me that it deserves a third chance,” Mr. Denton said. I can’t say I believe he does.”