Chris Powell

Practice Areas

Chris is a leading road transport regulatory specialist. He advises goods vehicle and passenger transport operator licence holders on all aspects of transport regulation.

He frequently represents transport companies and transport managers at public inquiry hearings before the Traffic Commissioners across the UK, and has extensive experience representing professional drivers at driver conduct hearings and at the Magistrates’ courts.

Chris advises and represents transport companies undergoing investigation by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), including interviews under caution and desk-based assessment audits.

Chris is recognised as a leading lawyer in this niche area of law. He regularly writes for industry publications and delivers talks and presentations to professional and trade bodies across the transport sector, including the prestigious Logistics UK transport manager conferences.

His clients include national and multinational haulage and logistics companies, 3PLs, coach and bus operators, and both standard and restricted operator licence holders. His focus is on risk mitigation and delivering practical, no-nonsense solutions for his clients.

Chris’s specialisms include:

• Representing operator licence holders in all proceedings before the Office of Traffic Commissioner, including Public Inquiries, preliminary hearings & senior team leader meetings.

• Assisting companies undergoing DVSA investigation & prosecution, including DVSA desk-based assessments & compliance visits.

• Advising operator licence holders on all aspects of regulatory compliance.

• Managing notifications to the regulator following a serious incident such as a bridge strike, wheel loss, load shedding, a rollover or a driver offending event.

• Conducting internal & confidential transport compliance and operator licence risk reviews.

• Delivering bespoke senior leadership team/fleet team training, legal compliance briefings & mock Public Inquiries.

• Border Force matters including clandestine entrant civil penalties and vehicle seizures and impoundings.