Redhot rescue owner puts buses on ebay
A pair of novelty beer buses – one painted like a cow and another like a fire engine – have been put on ebay by the owner of two vehicle-hire firms that were slated by the Traffic Commissioner.
Darryl Williams, owner of Bilston-based Redhot Rescue and Oddball Limos, has put the 24-seater coaches on the internet auction site, saying he was selling the company "due to no time and dedication".
So far, no one has bid for the vehicles, which both have a starting price of £20,000 and come with various associated websites.
The Express & Star revealed yesterday how West Midlands Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones branded Mr Williams, who ferries partygoers to proms, hen and stag nights, an "unreliable and untruthful rogue" in a damning report. The document was to formally refuse Mr Williams's application for a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence but opened up a can of worms into the running of the two companies.
Mr Williams told the Express & Star the businesses were "on hold" at the moment.
On the internet page, he reveals the 1995 VanHool buses come with "lasers, strobes, smoke machine, disco lights, rope lights and a CD sound system".
Both buses have two bars inside, including a champagne one for special occasions.
Mr Williams also appeals for anyone interested in striking up a "partnership deal" with him to call his mobile phone.
The Traffic Commissioner's11-page report into the businesses revealed a catalogue of safety and regulation breaches, including old fire engines and ambulances used for taking people to parties and proms still being licensed as emergency vehicles and therefore not paying tax.
Other problems included vehicles running without the correct licences or MOTs, no listing of Oddball Limos Ltd at Companies House, too many passengers on board, failure to keep records and a 22-seater bus that had a brake failure so severe it was banned from being on the road. The Traffic Commissioner may now haul Mr Williams in for a conduct hearing, which could result in the revocation and disqualification of other licences.
