TWO BROTHERS who run Trathens, the West Country coach firm,
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have been fined a total of £3,000 by Tavistock magistrates for permitting their drivers to work excessive hours. Michael and David Trathen each admitted 28 offences.
Final of 0,000 were also imposed on 28 of their drivers who pleaded guilty to more than 80 offences involving overlong hours and not taking the proper rest period.
Similar charges against the two other partners in the company, Yvonne Trathen and her husband Eric, were withdrawn and the cases against eight further drivers were adjourned.
The offences came to light because of complaints from Irathens customers that drivers were working long hours, said Anthony Daniel, prosecuting for the Western Traffic areas.
An investigation was launched into the company, which employs 120 drivers and more than 2,000 tachograph records were checked.
Most of the offences occurred during tour party trips abroad many to Spain in August and September of last year.
"The examiners who looked into the matter came to the early conclusion that the partnership's administration was sadly lacking", said Mr Daniel. "it Is necessary for the employer to make sure he carefully planned what the driver is going to do."
Mr Daniel said that in fairness to the company and the drivers it was not a case of coaches being driven round the clock. "The drivers over-drove by a few hours and under-rested by a few hours and the cumulative effect of that has been that they have cut corners substantially". Alexander Craig Mooney, defending, said the drivers were accused of technical breaches and there was no question of the drivers breaking the regulations by more than an hour on each occasion.
He said the company had now rescheduled its operation and set up a depot in France with 18 drivers on call. Trathens had 43,000 tachograph discs a year to deal with and the regulations were costing the company £158,000.