Welsh goods vehicle operator disqualified for five years following falsification of safety records
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-28)

Following a public inquiry held in Pontypridd, the Traffic Commissioner for Wales, Victoria Davies, has issued a decision revoking the operator licences held by Stuart Alan Morgan (sole trader) and Swansea Sand & Gravel Ltd, and disqualifying Mr Morgan from holding or obtaining an operator's licence for five years.

The order also disqualifies him from being a director of any entity that holds or obtains an operator’s licence and from being involved in the management, administration or control of such and entity for five years.

The Commissioner heard evidence that Mr Morgan had pleaded guilty to five separate offences of falsifying safety inspection records (PMIs) relating to heavy goods vehicles with intent to deceive. The offences were committed between January and October 2024. Mr Morgan was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on 4 July 2025 to a Community Order for 18 months, including 200 hours of unpaid work.

The public inquiry was convened to consider serious maintenance and other compliance failures after these criminal convictions for falsifying vehicle safety inspection records.

Evidence from the DVSA was considered. After a roadside stop and subsequent inspection by a DVSA Vehicle Examiner, serious issues were uncovered. The Commissioner found that in both operations, the companies had failed to meet the expected standards of compliance. Specific issues included the deliberate falsification of safety inspection records, inadequate maintenance systems, poor MOT pass rates significantly worse than the national average, and persistent failures to address defects identified at roadside inspections. Mr Morgan’s initial MOT failure rate was over 47% - more than four times the national average.

There was previous adverse compliance history. Mr Morgan had been called to public inquiries in 2020 and 2022 for consideration of maintenance compliance failings, when adverse findings were made and regulatory action taken against his licence. He was given a formal warning in 2022 for ongoing maintenance issues but failed to heed that warning.

Despite these serious shortcomings, the Commissioner acknowledged that Mr Morgan had taken some steps to improve his knowledge by obtaining an IRTEC qualification in April 2025. This, however, could not outweigh the significant negatives.

Commissioner Davies said: “Taking account of all the circumstances, I consider that a period of disqualification is necessary to meet the objectives of the operator licensing regime. Furthermore, the protection of the public and fairness to other operators requires that Stuart Morgan be disqualified. Acknowledging that this is a severe case involving dishonesty by falsification of safety inspection records but giving credit for such positives that I have been able to find, I have decided to disqualify Stuart Morgan from holding or obtaining an operator licence for a period of five years.”

Both licences were revoked, and Mr Morgan was also disqualified from acting as a Transport Manager for five years and must appear before a Traffic Commissioner if he wishes to have his repute restored in the future.

For full details of the decision (https://www.gov.uk/traffic-commissioner-regulatory-decisions/decision-for-stuart-alan-morgan-og1135437-and-swansea-sand-and-gravel-ltd-og2036624?cachebust=1764174793), visit the Traffic Commissioner Regulatory Decisions page (https://www.gov.uk/traffic-commissioner-regulatory-decisions)

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