A litany of safety violations including dangerous driving, insecure loads and one driver who didn't have a valid licence has prompted the authorities to close a Sheppey haulage firm.

George Bryant Haulage, which lists its base as Nettle Way, Minster, has lost its licence to run vehicles after an inquiry hearing on January 14 before the London and South East Traffic Commissioner.

Region regulator Nick Denton said the company had no interest in engaging with authorities.

A company truck was stopped on September 30 last year on the A2 in Broughton and its driver, Mihai Alexandru, did not have a valid licence for the vehicle or a legally required operating disc on display.

A further investigation from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) found the truck’s tax had expired two months previously, and the driver could only produce one tachograph record (of speed and distance), despite being legally required to have 28 days’ worth of charts. He was issued a £300 fixed penalty.

Less than a fortnight after this, another employee was issued a fine for dangerous driving after being stopped on the A282 Dartford Tunnel approach.

Steven John Sparks was ordered to pay £100 for having an insecure load in the back of his vehicle.

This came after an incident on July 28 when Sorinel Nicusor Subirelu was stopped at Dover Eastern Docks with a dangerous load. He was fined £100.

And on October 23, George Bodarlau was given a £100 fixed-penalty notice for taking insufficient rest over a 24-hour period.

He was also ordered not to get behind the wheel for 11 hours.

At the hearing earlier this month, Mr Denton said: “By failing to respond to DVSA’s initial letter and by responding only at the 11th hour to the call-up letter with a very vague and unsubstantiated call for an adjournment, the operator has shown it is not serious in engaging with the regulatory process.”

He further warned the current director Terry Carney, who failed to attend the hearing, and ex-director Graham Evans they could face disqualification from the entire industry.

Mr Denton also noted the business had run without a transport manager since May and failed to provide evidence of financial standing – both mandatory licence requirements.

George Bryant was in no way involved in the hearing, having sold the business in May.