Staffs firm fined for unauthorised run
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A STAFFORDSHIRE independent has been fined 1295 (including costs) for breaching road service licensing conditions and running an unauthorised service.
Blue Bus Services (Rugeley) admitted five offences of contravening road service licensing conditions and two offences of providing a service for which it had no licence. Rugeley magistrates fined it 020 plus £75 costs.
Prosecuting for the West Midland Traffic Commissioners, Patrick McKnight said the company and another operator, Green Bus Services, held licences for different services between Birmingham and Rugeley via Hednesford.
Observations had revealed that the Blue bus was using the Green Bus stand at Hednesford bus station and running a few minutes late.
It left the bus station along the Green Bus route, picking up passengers until rejoining the correct route.
The Blue bus appeared to run late to pick up people leaving the bingo hall in Hednesford, but a director of the company had told the Commissioners that the driver must have become confused because a previous short-term licence held by the company had authorised that route.
The driver was adamant that he was driving the bus on the route shown to him by the same director.
Defending, Tony Russell said the company had previously operated legitimately over that route Steps had been taken to instruct and show drivers the route before the service started.
The other offences related to a contract service for a miner' welfare club. The company received a standard fee each night, irrespective of the number of passengers carried, but that arrangement fell foul of the provisions of the 1981 Public Passenger Vehicles Act as the club charged shorter distance passengers a lesser fare. That made a licence necessary.