Ace Travel

[Y961 XBU]

Sadly i am able to confirm that Ace Travel who run a number of Services in Merseyside are to cease Trading after operation on Sunday. I Assume this is down to the continued loss of Tenders and most of their Commercial Services just not working out

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Does this mean an end to all-night cross river services operating 7 nights a week ?

 

[mbonwick]

I'd imagine Merseytravel will issue an emergency tender for those routes as they're surely contracted?

 

[theblackwatch]

I'd imagine Merseytravel will issue an emergency tender for those routes as they're surely contracted?

Details of planned changes are now on Merseytravel site at:
http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/travel-updates/Pages/Ace-Travel-Services.aspx

 

[TRN481V]

Does anybody know what's happening with the City Sightseeing service?

 

[73001]

It appears to be down to a dispute with the tax man and they have been wound up by them...

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/business/tax-demand-puts-60-aintree-8733688#ICID=sharebar_twitter


"Sixty jobs are being axed today after the tax man put Aintree bus firm Ace Travel out of business.

Ace, which was founded 10 years ago, provides around 20 routes for transport authority Merseytravel.

The firm admitted it had fallen behind with payments to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), covering a period of up to 18 months.

But it had started to bring down the bill, believed to be £220,000, in an agreement with HMRC’s office in James Street, Liverpool.

However, Ace said the case was then transferred to a tax office in Worthing which cancelled the previous agreement and demanded full payment.

Ace had managed to raise investment of £114,000 towards paying the tax bill and, after taking professional advice, had put forward a payment plan that it said would have cleared the bill by the end of this year.

But HMRC rejected the proposal and issued a winding-up order.

Ace director Alan Denson told the ECHO: “I can’t believe they have done this.

“We did fall behind with payments, fair enough, but we had a payment scheme in place and we would have paid it by the end of the year.

“I don’t care about myself, but it is the staff I am worried about.

“To have a settlement in place and the Revenue to knock it back is just sickening.

“I have tried everything and even phoned friends all over the country.”

Today is the final day that Ace will be able to provide routes for Merseytravel.

Mr Denson said the authority has put its routes out to other transport companies through an emergency tender in a bid to cover the services.

An HMRC spokesperson said: "HMRC does not in general comment on the tax affairs of individual businesses, but our aim is to efficiently collect the debts due and to prevent things deteriorating further.

“Anyone who anticipates payment problems should call us as early as possible as we have an outstanding track record for supporting those with genuine problems.

"We only initiate winding up action where we believe this is the best way to protect both the interests of other taxpayers and creditors."

A spokesperson for Merseytravel said: “We have been informed by Ace Travel (North West) Limited that they intend to put their company into liquidation from this Sunday.

“There will be some disruption over the next few days.

“Merseytravel is currently looking at options for the immediate future of the services and longer term.”

For help in finding alternative services visit the Merseytravel Journey Planner online at www.merseytravel.gov.uk or by downloading the app. Alternatively call Traveline on: 0151-236 7676.

theliverpoolecho"

 

[Y961 XBU]

Am a bit worried for the 265 Passengers as according to the Merseytravel Website no one has been found to operate the Service

Going onto the Debt i think its Disgusting that the Tax Man has done this, they had over half the Money ready and where able to pay the remaining lot of over the year, i think they should of been given the chance to clear their Debt as now thats 60 Bus Drivers who have lost a weeks pay and now have to find work elsewhere.

 

[Statto]

Does this mean an end to all-night cross river services operating 7 nights a week ?

Replaced by Stagecoach, still normal timetables.

 

[AntoniC]

Am a bit worried for the 265 Passengers as according to the Merseytravel Website no one has been found to operate the Service

Going onto the Debt i think its Disgusting that the Tax Man has done this, they had over half the Money ready and where able to pay the remaining lot of over the year, i think they should of been given the chance to clear their Debt as now thats 60 Bus Drivers who have lost a weeks pay and now have to find work elsewhere.

The Company had already been given a chance by being offered a repayment arrangement with HMRC.

The terms of this arrangement would have specified that ALL payments (including the ones covered by the arrangement have to be made on time.

But as the director said "We had fallen behind", hence the reason why HMRC have cancelled the arrangement and taken legal action to wind the company up.

 

[Titfield]

I am not sure if they would have been able to satisfy the financial standing requirements for their O Licence.

 

[Y961 XBU]

Problem is the Debt of a Bus Company is greater than 1 mans Debt to the Tax Man, it affects 60 Drivers and a great number of the general Public, Ace has paid over half the Debt and with their Open Top Service their income would of improved in the next couple of months and that would of gone a long way towards paying what was left of the Debt, i think the Tax Man should of been a bit more helpful and understanding as i strongly feel Ace would of paid back their Debts they owned before 2015 is out (as they said)

 

[Robertj21a]

Problem is the Debt of a Bus Company is greater than 1 mans Debt to the Tax Man, it affects 60 Drivers and a great number of the general Public, Ace has paid over half the Debt and with their Open Top Service their income would of improved in the next couple of months and that would of gone a long way towards paying what was left of the Debt, i think the Tax Man should of been a bit more helpful and understanding as i strongly feel Ace would of paid back their Debts they owned before 2015 is out (as they said)

Yes, you may well believe that. Unfortunately, the tax authorities didn't, and they may have much more information.

There's no real excuse for not paying tax when it's due, the rest of us have to.

 

[Deerfold]

Problem is the Debt of a Bus Company is greater than 1 mans Debt to the Tax Man, it affects 60 Drivers and a great number of the general Public, Ace has paid over half the Debt and with their Open Top Service their income would of improved in the next couple of months and that would of gone a long way towards paying what was left of the Debt, i think the Tax Man should of been a bit more helpful and understanding as i strongly feel Ace would of paid back their Debts they owned before 2015 is out (as they said)

Without having detailed access to Ace's accounts it's hard for any outsider to know if that's the case.

 

[6Gman]

Problem is the Debt of a Bus Company is greater than 1 mans Debt to the Tax Man, it affects 60 Drivers and a great number of the general Public, Ace has paid over half the Debt and with their Open Top Service their income would of improved in the next couple of months and that would of gone a long way towards paying what was left of the Debt, i think the Tax Man should of been a bit more helpful and understanding as i strongly feel Ace would of paid back their Debts they owned before 2015 is out (as they said)

As others have said, we don't have the full details BUT ...

A few years ago I was involved with a Local Authority collecting Rates from companies. I can recall one particular company where we were under pressure to let them continue trading to protect jobs ... then they went belly-up owing £300,000+. And we were criticised for having let them carry on so long .....

Should the tax man have been more helpful? Who knows ......

 

[Mutant Lemming]

.

There's no real excuse for not paying tax when it's due, the rest of us have to.

Unless you are a coffee shop chain paying minimum wage and taking advantage of tax avoidance loopholes - then you're laughing all the way to your no questions asked Swiss bank.

 

[Robertj21a]

Unless you are a coffee shop chain paying minimum wage and taking advantage of tax avoidance loopholes - then you're laughing all the way to your no questions asked Swiss bank.

This is non-payment of taxes due. Quite different.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

This is non-payment of taxes due. Quite different.

The moral being that they should have set up their business with a Cayman Islands address instead ?

Despite the legal technicalities aren't avoiding payment and non payment really the same thing in the end ?

 

[Y961 XBU]

Ace Travel seem to be still going, they operating the Open Top Service of a Different Licence!

 

[AndrewP]

Despite the legal technicalities aren't avoiding payment and non payment really the same thing in the end ?

No - the big difference is intent.

Non payment can be due to cash flow problems e.g. paying staff first or other bills. This is not a sustainable course of action of course but can be well intentioned if misguided.

Avoiding payment is a deliberate act and has no positive attributes. (there is nothing wrong with legally minimising your tax liabilities but you have to pay what you have to pay).