§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the outcome of the investigation by the Traffic Commissioner into the operation of bus services by Stagecoach in Gloucester and Cheltenham in November. [17878]
§ Ms KeebleI understand that the Traffic Commissioner for the Western Traffic Area called two Stagecoach-owned bus companies to public inquiry on 10 October 2001 following a reliability monitoring exercise by the Vehicle Inspectorate on their local bus services.
At the Inquiry, the Traffic Commissioner fined Cheltenham District Traction Company Ltd., 10 per cent. of the Fuel Duty Rebate paid to them during the three months prior to the determination being made. The Commissioner issued a formal warning to the other operator, Cheltenham and Gloucester Omnibus Company Ltd., as to its future conduct in ensuring that the services which it provides are reliable.
The Commissioner can take further disciplinary action against either operator if reliability does not improve.