Who’s beverly belle?
Joshh:
Who’s beverly belle?
I would love to give you my complete, uncensored description of her, but it would get deleted. 
She’s the traffic commisioner for the north west traffic area.
limeyphil:
It does work when the recievers send in administrators to take over from unsuitable directors. This only works if the reciever decides that there is a decent chance of turning a failing company into a successful company.
So it can work with a successful company that’s running bent. It could remain a successful company, But it would run legal.Simples.
Administrators are not cheap, and only go in because they are guarenteed to be paid as they get priority over all other creditors… How are these transport experts going to get paid? and by who?
Where are they going to come from? I dont think there are that many “Expert” transport management professionals just sitting at home waiting. Who pays them while they wait to be put into a company?
Rikki-UK:
limeyphil:
It does work when the recievers send in administrators to take over from unsuitable directors. This only works if the reciever decides that there is a decent chance of turning a failing company into a successful company.
So it can work with a successful company that’s running bent. It could remain a successful company, But it would run legal.Simples.
Administrators are not cheap, and only go in because they are guarenteed to be paid as they get priority over all other creditors… How are these transport experts going to get paid? and by who?
Where are they going to come from? I dont think there are that many “Expert” transport management professionals just sitting at home waiting. Who pays them while they wait to be put into a company?
Like i said Ricky. “Sucessful company”. So they would get paid.
If it was a struggleing company that was running bent to stay afloat, Then the idea wouldn’t work, and wouldn’t be worth trying.
limeyphil:
If the company ignores any advice given, Then it should be the directors who are ousted, Not everyone.
I’ve worked for dodgy outfits, and so have many others on here.
We were taken over by legit directors. And it’s made a massive difference. If you’re out of time, Then you’re out of time, No arguments.
But that’s not how it used to be. The boss would just get other drivers in. So the drivers just got on with it and said nothing.
So a simple change of authority can cure a dodgy outfit, Without the need for a complete shutdown.What i’m saying is, Beverley Belle should look at alternatives, Rather than putting people on the dole, There’s enough people on the dole without people loseing jobs unnecessarily.
But something similar happens now, it’s decided that person ‘A’ isn’t suitable to run a haulage company, so on paper somebody else runs it, but in reality person ‘A’ is still running the company and if they continue to run that company outside the scope of the regulations then they get dragged before the TC again.
As for drivers losing thier jobs, what about all the drivers who lose thier job because thier boss can’t compete with the cowboys operators?
So If the company is successful without running bent, why are they running bent? If they can make enough to cover the huge fees similar to what administrators charge there would be no need.
The transport industry runs on very tight margins, between 1 and 3 % mostly, Companies mostly run bent in order to stay afloat, If they could make a profit running legal they would do so, or why else would they put their own and their employees livelyhoods at risk. people who run transport companies are on the whole not stupid, they understand the risk vs reward thing, they also know that sooner or later they will get caught and prevented from carrying out there trade for a number of years. So either they are in it for a quick buck and screw the law in which case they shouldnt be anywhere near or industry, or they are desperate to try to keep an unviable company going - In either case your idea wouldn’t work with them.
and also as I asked , who pays these experts while they wait to be allocated to a company ?
In theory your idea has some merit, in practice it wouldnt be viable financially .
Rikki-UK:
So If the company is successful without running bent, why are they running bent?
Greed, it’s all it can be.
limeyphil:
Rikki-UK:
So If the company is successful without running bent, why are they running bent?Greed, it’s all it can be.
Sorry was adding to my post as you replied, think I covered this in the added bit 
limeyphil:
What i’m saying is, Beverley Belle should look at alternatives, Rather than putting people on the dole, There’s enough people on the dole without people loseing jobs unnecessarily.
Beverly Bell doesn’t, as far as I know, have the power to do any of the alternatives that you suggest. She only has the power to do things regarding companies O-Licence and associated matters. She doesn’t have the power to send administrators into a company. If you really think these ideas would work, you need to stop whinging about Ms Bell and start lobbying your MP to change the laws that give VOSA and the Department for Transport their powers. Then when she has those powers, if you don’t feel she’s using them appropriately, you might have an argument.
Paul
Joshh:
Who’s beverly belle?
she plays the wicked witch in a movie called “life” apparently■■?.
What i’m saying is, Beverley Belle should look at alternatives, Rather than putting people on the dole, There’s enough people on the dole without people loseing jobs unnecessarily.
Ms Bell only has the options to her available within the current legislation, She didnt make the laws Members of Parliament did. Blaming Ms Bell for not doing something she has no power in law to do is silly.
If you have other options that you think Ms Bell should be able to exercise, then
write them up,
show how it is to be resourced,
translate into legalese, submit it to your MP,
Hope he takes it on and submits it to the transport sub committee
Hope transport sub committee like it and draw up an amendment to the transport act
Hope it gets time in the Parliamentry session
Hope the MPS dont throw 1001 amendments to it to make it totally useless or run out of Parliamentry time
Hope it gets passed
Hope the House of Lords doesnt reject it
Then just maybe Ms Bell will get the power to implement your idea… until then blaming her for working with the tools she has isnt constructive
As I said in my earlier post that the whole issue of consistency between the different TC’s and traffic areas should be looked at, Personally I would like to see the other TC’s come up to Ms Bells level on enforcement rather than her standards go down.
Also remember that any judgement by any TC is open to appeal to the Transport Tribunual, if they get it wrong it can be overturned. they are not above the law, they work with the provisions of the law provided
repton:
There is overcapacity in the UK haulage sector, hauliers are going under left right and centre. The more bent ones the TCs get rid of, the more good guys are going to survive.
Couldn’t agree more. Is it any wonder we don’t have enough young blood entering our industry when we have cowboys bringing our reputation down, speeding, overloading, not taking breaks etc?
Ms Bell and other TCs don’t shut folk down for fun. Warning are given and improvement notices are issued and if some hauliers view the authorities with contempt and regard safety and the law as unnecessary bureaucracy then they don’t have anyone but themselves to blame when the get shut down.
Remember Bolton Brow 1993.
I do lobby my mp. Sod all happens.
I would have thought the likes of Beverley Belle would have asked her bosses to look into something like i have suggested.
limeyphil:
I do lobby my mp. Sod all happens.
I would have thought the likes of Beverley Belle would have asked her bosses to look into something like i have suggested.
For changes in the law like this just throwing an idea at your MP never works, You need to draw up a detailed report on what you are trying to achieve, why it should be changed from the current position, how the law needs to be changed to achieve it, How it is to be paid for. This all needs to be then translated into legalese. Why do you think parliamentry lobbyist get paid a small fortune? this is what they do. The chances of you getting your MP to even acknowledge it is small, getting them to support an amendment to the law that would aid truck companies that are running illegaly probably has about as much chance as Ronnie Biggs had of becoming Lord Chief justice.
Why should Ms Bell do all that? Thats is not her job, her job is to enforce the laws as directed by Parliament, not to propose new ones, (Thats what trade associations and their well paid lobbyists are for). If a chnage in the laws affecting our industry are needed, it is the industries as a wholes job to define whats needed, and present that in a way that has a chance of getting through Parliament.
the fact that our trade associations are pretty ineffectual at getting anything more than lip service from the Government is hardly Ms Bells fault or problem.
limeyphil:
We hear every day, “Resession, Credit Crunch, Redundancy”.Why is it still a priority of Beverley Belle to shut down a haulier and put people on the dole on what seems to be a daily basis?
She’s acting like judge, jury, and excecutioner. It’s not on, and it should come to an end.
phil,i get enjoyment from some of your posts,is this another wind up thread or for real?
i disagree with your post in its entirety.tc"s,vosa employers,like everyone have a job to do,and rules to follow,otherwise there would be complete chaos and a free for all,in an already volatile industry.maybe there are many reasons why she allegedly has more shut downs than any other tc"s,perhaps her area coverage is greater than anyone elses?.who knows.
as far as putting people on the dole goes,it comes down to thinking in the bigger picture.if a company is shut down,then their trucks get sold onto another firm,who then put them back on the road and employ drivers(obviously not neccassarily the same drivers) to drive them,however those drivers that were laid off will be employed regardless by someone in “the melting pot”.
as far as getting recievers in,it doesnt always work EVEN for companies that can be turned around,the recievers that came into a company i once worked for,sold us to asset strippers,who then put a profitable company under.
getting someone else to take over a disfunctional operation till a suitable buyer can be found is non sensicle to me,its far easier to follow the bigger picture above,as is the way things are more or less done now.
however,im not blowing vosas trumpet,i neither like or dislike them,but i realise(and am thankfull) that they are there,for order and regulation.i may not agree with some of the legislation,or working practices(i have been on the recieving end of being pulled by the same guys everyday for a week in the north western area),and i also realise the difference between going over a few minutes once in a while,to going out full blown chucking tachos out of the window.
there is no room for bent hauliers in this day,and i hope one by one they are whittled out and given the punishment they deserve.they only represent to me,dragging wages down,endengaring lives,and compromising safety.
I hear BB’s name come up many a time either on here or sometimes she gets a mention in trucking magazines .
My question is I’m well aware of who she is and what she does and what region she regulates.
But I don’t know off the top of my head any other Traffic commissioners names, I don’t even know the name of my area one. (Which is good in one way 
) My point is what does BB do different to other TC’s that she seems to get a lot of publicity 
Is it she makes a song and dance about her achievements and other TC’s just get on and do their job with out making a song and dance about it unless I’m missing something here 
.
pecjam23:
I hear BB’s name come up many a time either on here or sometimes she gets a mention in trucking magazines .My question is I’m well aware of who she is and what she does and what region she regulates.
But I don’t know off the top of my head any other Traffic commissioners names, I don’t even know the name of my area one. (Which is good in one way
Is it she makes a song and dance about her achievements and other TC’s just get on and do their job with out making a song and dance about it
She’s the first woman in England to be a Traffic Commissioner, that’s why there’s such a “song and dance” made out of her.
She has pledged to crack down on cowboy bus, coach and truck operators - taking particular interest in enforcing booze bans on football coaches and far more importantly ensuring high standards on school transport.
There’s a real song and dance made out of that - but only it seems, by the operators (haulage and bus/coach) who blatantly and consistently break the law.
The woman’s no fool, a qualified lawyer and former prosecutor for the Vehicle Inspectorate.
I’ll tell you what - she’s needed up here in Scotland!
Ever noticed the poses for the photo shoot of a Traffic Commisioner in any truck magazine.Seems to be allways shots of a pen poised in hand,hands on desk,all official looking and looking like we are something the cat dragged in,like im the big boss and others are inferior to me and my Traffic powers.Thought the money for an operating licence,is funds to update computer systems data,so we actually pay for that.
i won’t knock her because it’s a job that needs doing, far too many people regulary break the rules which puts additional pressure on firms who run straight. but wasn’t it beverly belle that witnessed a driver breaking the law so she set about prosecuting him with herself as the only witness, judge and jury. she does seem a bit power crazy
limeyphil:
It does work when the recievers send in administrators to take over from unsuitable directors. This only works if the reciever decides that there is a decent chance of turning a failing company into a successful company.
So it can work with a successful company that’s running bent. It could remain a successful company, But it would run legal.Simples.
Phil you live in a deluded world mate
So the administrators come in and will keep any company going until a buyer is found as far as your concerned?
Sorry mate it doesn’t work that way at all, the administrators come in and look at the viability of a company, they look at the debts, they look at the assets then they look at the impact, this goes for any company regardless who they are or what they do.
If Joe Bloggs transport is shut down by Vosa for not towing the line, there are ussually reasons why they were not towing the line, for example, greed blatantly paying the drivers to breach the regs, so yes they should be off the road anyway, then of course it could be financial reasons such as not being able to afford to maintain the vehicles to a roadworthy standard, so lets take this reason as justified for NOT closing the company down in your opinion.
The company owns 5 trucks and leases 7 trucks, a fleet of 12 in total, the assets of the company are outweighed by debts such as fuel bills outstanding, an administrator would look at what the value of the 5 owned trucks is valued at, if they were sold what would it raise? If they sent the 7 leased trucks back and kept the 5 trucks owned by the company, what would that save?
Could they sell the business as a going concern? Not really because which company would want to take on 5 old trucks and 7 leased trucks?
Administrators are only interested in one thing, and that is raising enough money by selling the assets to pay off the debts or at least as much of the debts as possible, its rare for a company to have assets that another company would be interested in.
Which takes us onto Beverley Bell, she is well known in the Industry as being strict, in fact very strict, which any operator with common sense would be aware of and if they used that sense would ensure they towed the line.
If Beverley Bells reputation is so bad for closing cowboy outfits down, why do they still operate from her area knowing full well that the chances of been put out of business is much more likely?
Remember, she’s a female in a male dominated Industry and determined to show that she can do as good a job, if not better than other TC’s
Why is it that drivers hear about a company being put out of business and automatically think that they are innocently being punished?