Haulage operator confirms it has addressed compliance shortcomings
THE COMMERCIAL director of a Shetland-based haulage company says vehicle maintenance and operator compliance has always been a priority for the business.
It comes after Northwards Ltd had its operator licence curtailed by the transport commissioner following a public inquiry held in Edinburgh in early May this year.
Neil Leslie said: “We understand how important the standards required under our operator’s licence are, and fully cooperated with the inquiry, concluded in May this year.”
The well-known company with depots in Shetland, Orkney and across Scotland operates 50 vehicles and 138 trailers and employs between 80 and 90 drivers.
Northwards admitted a series of shortcomings in vehicle maintenance and licence compliance including maintenance scheduling, brake performance, safety inspection records and others.
Northwards had its licence curtailed by five vehicles for the period of a week in late May 2026.
A confirmation of the traffic commissioner’s decision was only published earlier this month.
In decision notice commissioner R Turfitt expressed concern at the time it took the company to respond to the inquiry, adding that Northwards should have been “on notice” following a number of earlier warnings and compliance failures.
These warnings go back to May 2013 when a formal warning was given by the commissioner’s office, and again in November 2018 following another “unsatisfactory maintenance investigation”.
“The fact that actions were only considered so late in the day risks the impression that there had either been a considerable degree of complacency,” the commissioner wrote.
“The late move towards compliance placed this case in the ‘serious’ category.”
However, he acknowledged that changes had been made by Northwards, including to the transport manager structure.
“The operator’s repute has been tarnished by these events, and I do not expect a repeat,” the commissioner concluded.
In a statement issued to Shetland News this week, Leslie added: “Vehicle maintenance and operator compliance is, and always has been, a priority for the company.
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“Ahead of the public inquiry we had already brought in additional resource and instigated system and record-keeping improvements, as a result of an independent compliance audit undertaken by the Road Haulage Association (RHA), at our request.
“The audit is now a regular feature for which there is a follow up [on Wednesday 30 September].
“This will demonstrate our full compliance and provide assurance that our services continue to be delivered safely and professionally.
“To that end, we will continue to work closely with regulators and independent advisers to maintain their confidence and to deliver a first class service.”
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