Coach o erator 'ailed
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• Raymond Ferris, who trades as Ferris Coach Holidays, of Senghenydd, Mid Glamorgan, was jailed last week for nine months at Bristol Crown Court, after admitting aiding and abetting drivers to falsify tachograph charts.
Twenty-five drivers had earlier been fined a total £10,700, after admitting falsifying charts, and Ferris' office manager and accountant, Elizabeth Kelly, was fined £250. One driver, Brian Griffiths, of Aberdare, was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting attempting to pervert the course of
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justice, in that he tried to create a false alibi.
Neil Ford, prosecuting, said the main thrust of the Ferris business was the transport of holidaymakers to resorts in the South of France and Spain. Tachograph falsification had been rife. The case was based on the charts recovered; very many more had been destroyed. In October 1986 648 charts and 251 daily running sheets seized by the police revealed substantial abuse. A year later, in October 1987, a further 549 charts were seized and they showed that the abuse had continued.
Some of the falsifications disguised the hours driven, others the speed travelled. The most common falsification was that of double charting. Restricter rings were also used to prevent the true speed being recorded. Switches were installed that froze the tachograph at a particular speed and calibration screws had been tampered with so that the true distance was not recorded. Tachographs were wound back on every ferry crossing.
Coaches were driven at between 80mph (128km/h) and 90mph (145km/h) on the Continent, to such an extent that they became known as "Ferris Airways" and the "South Wales Air Force". Holidaymakers had spoken of drivers nodding off, of coaches almost leaving the road and of being frightened for their lives.
Any charts showing breaches of the regulations were thrown away, it was alleged.
Defending, David Aubery said Ferris had some difficulty in grasping the complexities of the regulations. His safety record was exceptional. In the 10 years he had been operating overseas there had never been an accident involving one of his coaches. There was a substantial amount of repeat business, which would not occur if Ferris had a total disregard for the safety, welfare and comfort of his passengers.
Sentencing Ferris, and ordering him to pay £5,000 towards the costs of the prosecution, Judge David Smith said he was satisfied that Ferris knew perfectly well what was happening.