Two Walsall coach companies have been forced off the road after their bosses were stopped from operating for breaching regulations.

Sania International Ltd and Birmingham Coach Hire, both based at Canalside Close, Walsall, have been ordered to stop operating coaches by the Traffic Commissioner for West Midlands area, Nick Jones.

Staff from the companies, which carried holiday groups and schoolchildren around the region and abroad, were said to be driving without tacographs or even the proper coach licences on occasions.

Shazia Malik, an operator of Sania International, has been disqualified from holding or obtaining an operator’s licence for five years as she “no longer satisfies the requirement to be of good repute and lacks financial standing and professional competence”.

Shamrez Iqbal Nabi, an operator of Birmingham Coach Hire, which was run in partnership with Sania, has also been disqualified for five years from holding an operator’s licence for the same reasons.

However, he is understood to be appealing against the decision.

Majid Zeb, of Sania International, had his application for an operator’s licence refused as he has failed to satisfy the requirement for holding an operator’s licence. He is also appealing the decision.

Nine drivers from the firms have also received formal warnings while transport managers Raymond Sheaf and David Edkins retain their “good repute”.

The bigger company – Sania International – had more than 33 employees but has had to make many of them redundant according to company spokesman and Mr Zeb’s brother Hussan Hussain.

Mr Hussain said today: “Of course there were mistakes made but you learn from your mistakes and we are aiming to get bigger and better.

“Majid Zeb has retained his good repute and can still buy coach companies and be a transport manager. He feels hard done by and is appealing the decision not to allow him an operator’s licence.

“In fact he has just bought a coach company for £1.6 million which will create around 40 full-time jobs.

“Sania International still exists as a management company now and sub-contracts work.”

Traffic commissioner for the West Midland Area Nick Jones said in his report: “I need to send a message to industry and drivers wrongdoing cannot be tolerated and there is a need for fair competition and for all drivers to comply with rules.”

Michelle Hunt from Staffordshire County Council said: “The county council did use Sania International Ltd some time ago but has never used Birmingham Coach Hire.”