Shere Punjab Services Limited

Facts

Shere Punjab Services Limited held a standard goods vehicle operator's licence, granted from 26 October 2020, authorising 10 vehicles and two trailers, with Mr. Dinesh Kumar as its external transport manager and Mr. Sukhpaljit Singh Sidhu as sole director. In August 2024 one of its vehicles, driven by Mr. Sidhu, was stopped by a DVSA traffic examiner and issued with two delayed S-marked prohibitions; tachograph analysis disclosed failures to download vehicle unit data within 90 days and five occasions of driving beyond 4.5 hours without a break. A maintenance investigation in October 2024 found shortcomings across inspection and maintenance records, driver defect reporting, inspection facilities and maintenance arrangements, and vehicle emissions, and unannounced visits to the operating centre raised concerns about parking capacity. The Traffic Commissioner for the West Midlands called the company to a public inquiry, the call-up letter of 19 February 2025 warning that financial standing was in issue and that access to an average of £48,500 had to be shown. The company produced three months of bank statements, which yielded an average available balance of £6,134, and unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31 May 2024 showing a profit of £72,429. On 2 April 2025 the Traffic Commissioner found financial standing not established, refused a period of grace and revoked the licence under section 27(1) of the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995. The company appealed to the Upper Tribunal, having obtained a stay.