The boss of Wolverhampton’s embattled Banga Travel today insisted his buses were safe after being given eight weeks by a court to secure the future of his business.
Lord Justices Ward and Keane dismissed Parkash Ram Banga’s appeals to keep his operating licence at the Court of Appeal in London yesterday, describing his pleas as “utterly hopeless”. They allowed two months before the ban kicks in for the firm to sort itself out following a previous ruling its buses were not fit for passengers.
They also requested Mr Banga’s solicitors contact the West Midlands Traffic Commission to see if an application by his son Raj, aged 38, to take over the running of the business could be sped up.
Mr Banga told the Express & Star today the long legal battle had cost him £40,000 in legal fees.
He criticised the appeal process and said his comments about changes he had made since the first hearing in 2006 were not taken into consideration.
He said: “I have replaced all of my buses since then and now have 10. I have not lost any customers, for which I am grateful. I believe more people are using my buses because they sympathise with us.
“They know this has just been about official procedure and that it was not my fault. There was no question about the safety of my buses, as they are now, raised yesterday.
“I also did not get a chance to speak in the court.”
The company, which operates the 530, 545, 535 and 634 services and employs 13 people, was launched in 1993.
West Midlands traffic commissioner David Dixon made the decision to revoke the licence following three damning maintenance inspections since 2005.
He said 17 notices to stop its buses operating had been served on the fleet, based at Hickman Avenue, over 15 months.
In July 2004 the firm was fined £6,000 by Centro.
By Daniel Wainwright
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