TWO brothers who put profits ahead of the safety of bus users have been disqualfied indefinitely.

Traffic Commissioner for Wales Nick Jones has disqualified the directors of GHA Coaches Ltd, Arwyn and Gareth Lloyd Davies, from obtaining or holding a public service vehicle operator’s licence indefinitely.

Mr Jones said: “In this specific business, the precedence that income has been given over maintenance and public safety has been systemic for a period of time.

“Road safety, the safety of the travelling public and the safety of vulnerable schoolchildren travelling on buses has very much been secondary.”

The company’s two licences, authorising the use of 146 vehicles in Wales (with bases in Ruthin, Corwen, Ruabon and Wrexham) and 80 vehicles in the North West of England (with bases in Chester, Middlewich, Winsford and Macclesfield), have also been revoked by the Traffic Commissioner.

Mr Jones also disqualified Gareth Lloyd Davies from acting as a transport manager for an indefinite period.

Last month, the Leader reported GHA owed creditors more than £5m when the firm went out of business.

Company accounts show the firm was £978,461 in arrears to HMRC and also owed £26,248 to Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) as well as £27,546 to Wrexham Council.

In late March this year, administrators Grant Thornton reviewed GHA’s short-term funding needs after it became clear they had a shortfall due to trading losses and vehicle finance commitments.

GHA sought a formal deferral over its debts to HMRC and they also approached councils to try to secure £1.5 million in funding – but were unsuccessful.

HMRC would not agree to a repayment plan and presented a winding up petition on June 20. 

HSBC subsequently froze the firm’s bank account on July 7.

The Davies brothers had hoped support of councils would provide enough funding to pay off their HMRC liabilities and fund the ongoing operation of the business.

But on July 11, they learned their funding bid was unsuccessful and trading operations ceased two days later on July 13, with almost 400 employees made redundant.

The company had its head office on the Vauxhall Industrial Estate in Ruabon, and was one of the largest independently owned bus and coach operators in the UK.