Banga boss vows to fight ban
The owner of Wolverhampton's beleaguered Banga Bus company today insisted his fleet was in tip-top condition – and vowed to fight a decision to remove him from the roads. The owner of Wolverhampton's beleaguered Banga Bus company today insisted his fleet was in tip-top condition – and vowed to fight a decision to remove him from the roads. Traffic bosses have ordered Banga Buses to stop carrying passengers following three damning maintenance inspections on the fleet since 2005. But owner Pakash Ram Banga, who set up the firm back in 1993, said all of his 15 buses were all regularly maintained and claimed he has been used as a "scapegoat". He has vowed to appeal the decision. "All of the buses are regularly maintained as required by the law," he said. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
Traffic bosses have ordered Banga Buses to stop carrying passengers following three damning maintenance inspections on the fleet since 2005.
But owner Pakash Ram Banga, who set up the firm back in 1993, said all of his 15 buses were all regularly maintained and claimed he has been used as a "scapegoat". He has vowed to appeal the decision.
"All of the buses are regularly maintained as required by the law," he said.
"In fact I spend more money on maintenance than anybody I know.
"The buses are definitely roadworthy. We use 12 regularly and then have three spare. I am being used as a scapegoat.
"I have been working in the industry since 1964 and so I have enough knowledge to know how to run a company like this properly.
"I used to work as a traffic supervisor for Travel West Midlands. I was there for 29 years and I was in charge of hundreds of people.
"Now they are trying to tell me I can't manage 12 people. It is ridiculous."
Mr Banga is now hoping for a stay of decision after vowing to take the case to the Court of Appeal.
"I want to tell my staff and passengers that I'll continue to fight this so we can keep running," he said.
"I am confident that I will get this decision overturned. I hardly got a chance to make an explanation at the tribunal but I am sure this will be different at the Court of the Appeal.
"I am now just waiting for a date and hopefully then it can all get sorted.
"I have been forced to pay out so much money in legal fees with all this. With that money I could have bought new buses."
The traffic commissioner first made a decision to revoke Mr Banga's licence in December last year.
It followed on from an inspection back in December 2005 when nine Banga Buses were examined and not one was found to be free from defects.
