Minibus operation ‘rotten’ from the start

Scotland’s Traffic Commissioner, Joan Aitken, has handed out a four-year disqualification for Glasgow minibus operator, Ian Sharp.

According to the Traffic Commissioner, Sharp ran “seriously unroadworthy” vehicles. Aitken said Sharp lied to a government enforcement official and then in his initial evidence before her. Evidence during a public inquiry revealed seriously unroadworthy vehicles were allowed to be on the road and infringements had been committed by drivers. It was also found there was no supervising transport manager.

Joan Aitken said: “By his low standards and lack of knowledge, [Mr Sharp] has exposed others to risk. My view is that [he] should find a very different line of work and excuse himself from passenger transport.”

The Traffic Commissioner also took action against the individual Mr Sharp put forward as his transport manager, Robert Quigley. Miss Aitken disqualified him from acting in that role for life after learning that the arrangement to act as a transport manager was a sham.

The Traffic Commissioner said: “This licence has been rotten from the moment Mr Ian Sharp, as applicant for the licence and Mr Robert Quigley as nominated transport manager, placed their respective signatures on the paperwork for the licence.”