Licence survives hen party
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• Complaints about the operation of a private party run did not stop South Wales Traffic Commissioner John Mervyn Pugh from renewing the PSV operator's licence held by Brian Richards, trading as B & D Richards, of Tonna.
Julie Harris, of Gimla, said that she had arranged a hen party to go to the Coco Savanna night club in Cardiff in July. When the driver failed to turn up to take them home, she rang Richards who said the minibus was waiting. There was no sign of the vehicle.
Mrs Harris contacted the police and three police cars scoured the neighbourhood. When the minibus was found, the police escorted it to the nightclub and only left after the driver had given an assurance that he would take the party back to Neath.
For Richards, Richard Ambrose claimed Mrs Harris was motivated by spite. He said the behaviour of the party had left a lot to be desired. When the driver arrived to pick the party up he noticed that the women had drunk too much. During the course of the journey, one girl displayed her backside to the following traffic. The women had only paid the driver £48 of the hire fee, having spent the other on an exotic cocktail for the bride-to-be.
Renewing Richards' licence, in respect of three single deckers and three minibuses, Mervyn Pugh said he did not doubt Mrs Harris's story. He also felt there could have been some misbehaviour by the ladies on the minibus. He recognised that every coach driver was vulnerable, but Mr Richards unfortunately seemed to attract complaints.