STORY
St Martins Preparatory School Limited in Grimsby has had its restricted public service vehicle operator’s licence suspended for 14 days after a public inquiry identified serious maintenance and compliance failings. The suspension runs from 25 September until 9 October 2026, while the number of vehicles permitted under the licence has been reduced from two to one until further notice.
Deputy Traffic Commissioner Gerallt Evans found that the operator had failed to inspect its vehicles at the declared intervals, maintain proper records and meet undertakings concerning drivers’ hours. The inquiry also considered a March 2025 MoT failure involving a school minibus with a tyre cut through to the cord. Evans concluded that the directors had delegated responsibility for compliance to members of staff who lacked the necessary qualifications and resources.
The commissioner acknowledged that vehicles had been withdrawn from service, staff had received some training and the operator had cooperated with the latest investigation. However, he concluded that the negative features significantly outweighed those improvements and said the licence had avoided revocation by the narrowest margin. The operator must now appoint a clearly identified person responsible for the licence and arrange an independent audit of its transport safety and compliance systems in March 2027.