Coach firm closed for flouting safety rules

Published on Friday 9 May 2008 22:17

A COACH-HIRE firm whose drivers were found to be at "true risk" of falling asleep at the wheel has been closed down for falsifying records.

Browns of Edinburgh was put out of business by Joan Aitken, the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland, who said its actions had potentially endangered other road users.

She also banned Alastair Brown, its owner, from holding a public service vehicle operator licence for three years.

The firm, which has 15 coaches and is based at Broxburn in West Lothian, was established 43 years ago. Ms Aitken found the firm had lied and falsified tachograph records and drivers' hours, and that its actions had breached the European working-time directive.

She said: "I find that, at the heart of this operation, there was a pattern of wilful and criminal flaunting of the drivers' hours and tachograph rules and the requirement to keep proper records."

Ms Aitken said ghost drivers' names had been used to hide excessive driving hours. She said: "This is one of the most serious cases that can come before a traffic commissioner. The use of ghost drivers, missing mileage and drivers' hours offences strikes at the very heart of the regulatory regime.

"This operator has grossly offended against both road safety and fair competition. The drivers' hours provisions are there to make sure that drivers do not fall asleep at the wheel and there is a true risk that this would have happened to Browns' drivers given the pattern of driving."

The company said no-one was available to comment.