High Court order puts UK transport firm in liquidation after 18 years

Carriage Company (Oxon) Limited, based in Banbury, was put into compulsory liquidation with immediate effect on February 4 after HMRC filed a winding-up petition seeking debt repayment.

The petition was initially presented on December 9, 2025, by the Commissioners for HM Revenue and Customs, who claimed to be creditors of the company.

The case was heard at the High Court’s Royal Courts of Justice in London on February 4 at 10.30am, resulting in a winding-up order.

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Documents submitted to Companies House this month revealed that the company’s dissolution has been deferred until April 4, 2032.

Such a move usually allows a company’s legal status to remain active so authorities can wind up legal actions and recover assets.

A notice relating to the Banbury-based firm, signed by the Insolvency Service on behalf of the Secretary of State, reads: “The dissolution of the company [will] be deferred and take effect on April 4, 2032, unless a further direction is issued.”

The taxi operation, which was incorporated on November 6, 2008, had been providing taxi and private-hire vehicle services in the Oxfordshire area for almost 18 years before its collapse.

Companies House records show the firm was registered as a private limited company specialising in taxi operations.

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The liquidation comes amid soaring business failures across the UK, with company insolvencies rising sharply in recent months.

Data from the Insolvency Service showed that the number of company insolvencies rose month-on-month to March by 7 per cent to 2,022.

Company administrations surged 52 per cent between February and March to 235 and were 82 per cent higher when compared to March 2025, while compulsory liquidations jumped 18 per cent.

Industry experts have blamed the Iran war and soaring wage bills for sending costs surging across the transport sector.

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The surge in fuel and energy prices, driven by the intensifying conflict in the Middle East, has severely impacted industries such as transport and manufacturing.

Transport firms have been particularly vulnerable to rising operational costs, with fuel expenses climbing sharply alongside increased wage pressures and regulatory burdens.

The collapse of Carriage Company (Oxon) Limited marks the latest in a series of transport and travel-related business failures in 2026.

Earlier this month, several UK airlines and travel companies also entered liquidation or administration, citing similar cost pressures.

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The six-year deferral of dissolution is a relatively lengthy period, suggesting authorities may anticipate complex asset recovery proceedings or ongoing legal matters requiring the company’s legal status to remain active.

HMRC’s involvement as the petitioning creditor indicates the company owed substantial tax debts, though the exact amount has not been disclosed in public filings.

The closure leaves customers and creditors awaiting further details on asset recovery and potential refunds.

This newspaper has approached Carriage Company (Oxon) Limited for comment.