The five-vehicle O-Licence held by Tipton-based Sandwell Travel has been revoked at a Public Inquiry (PI) by Traffic Commissioner (TC) Nick Denton.
The firm’s owner and transport manager Sukhwinder Singh is banned from holding an O-Licence until 2024 and indefinitely as acting as a TM.
The TC said the West Midlands operator has “little or no idea” about his responsibilities and “signally failed” to make sure vehicles were safe.
The PI heard that the “appalling” MOT 83% failure rate was of “great concern as Mr Singh thought it was good.”
Unqualified maintenance staff were employed, safety inspections missed, and a “wholly inappropriate wheelnut tightening procedure practiced,” which led to a wheel loss on a busy A-road.
“Mr Singh’s failure to appear at the PI, or even to offer an explanation, shows he does not take the regulatory regime, or compliance, seriously,” added the TC. The firm also failed to meet its financial standing.
In addition, on one of his routes only three out of 21 buses ran – and one of these was early.
Full details in a forthcoming Court Report.
