Banga buses are banned
Wolverhampton's famous Banga buses have been ordered off the area's roads because of the poor state of the vehicles.
Banga Travel operates services between Bilston, Bradley, Wolverhampton and Codsall. One of the company's buses burst into flames two years ago as it left the company's depot in the city.
Now following two damning inspections in to the state of the fleet proprietor Parkash Ram Banga has had his licence revoked from January 31 by the West Midlands Traffic Commissioner.
He was also suspended from operating buses for two years at a public inquiry.
The move followed an inspection in December 2005 when nine Banga buses were examined and not one was found to be free from defect.
Four vehicles had to be taken off the road immediately. A second inspection of the fleet was held in June 2006 and one vehicle was immediately prohibited.
Of the eight buses inspected only one was found to be free from defects.
The inspector's report said: "There is a clear shortfall in respect of the maintenance systems required to operate passenger service vehicles. There is a clear lack of management and quality control allowing vehicles to be operated in a significantly unroadworthy condition."
Mr Banga, who has been in the bus industry since 1964, said he was applying to get the decision stayed.
He said the company had taken out a new maintenance contract since the inspector's reports but that had been ignored by the commissioner.
By Transport Correspondent Daniel Pountney
