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Fines over dangerous buses
Page 21
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• Coach operator P Smith of Lichfield and five of his drivers who used unsuitable and poorly maintained vehicles to carry handicapped children for Staffordshire Education Authority face fines and costs totalling 21,490.
Smith faced two charges of using vehicles without a PSV operator's licence, two of employing drivers without PSV driving licences, two of using vehicles without insurance, two of using vehicles without a Certificate of Initial Fitness, two of using vehicles without first aid kits, two of using vehicles without fire extinguishers, two of using vehicles with defective brakes, two of using vehicles in a dangerous condition, two of using vehicles with defective lights, one of using an unsuitable vehicle, one of using a vehicle with an excessive oil leak, and one of using a vehicle with a defective exhaust. He was fined a total of 2845 and ordered to pay 250 costs.
Driver Michael Jones was fined £140 for having no PSV driving licence, using an unsuitable vehicle, and using a vehicle without insurance, a PSV test certificate, a first aid kit or fire extinguisher. Eric Hunt was fined £80 for similar offences. David Morley was fined £130 for using a vehicle with defective lights and an excessive oil leak. Peter Pelori was fined 240 for using a vehicle with defective brakes and exhaust and in a dangerous condition. Jeremy Bland was fined 230 for using a dangerous vehicle with defective brakes. Each driver was also ordered to pay 235 prosecution costs.
Prosecuting for the West Midland Traffic Area Barbara Stubbs said that following complaints from special schools checks were carried out in Tamworth and Lichfield.
The magistrates rejected arguments by Smith that one of the vehicles was an ambulance purchased from Staffordshire County Council, and not a nineseater minibus. Smith said that his business had failed.