By Sarah Newstead

Last updated 05:37, Friday, 25 July 2008

CUMBRIA County Council says it will continue to use a Wigton coach firm for school bus runs after its drivers appeared at court this week for working over the legal amount of hours.

Created jobs: Reader Les McMurdo says Chris Reay, managing director of Reays Coaches Ltd, Wigton, has helped boost west Cumbria

Reays Coaches, which provides transport for 13 schools across the county, breached rules on working hours, rest breaks and journey records, West Allerdale Magistrates’ Court heard.

During the hearing on Monday, one driver was banned from driving for a week because he was reported to have driven 20 hours in a day in 2006 with only three hours’ rest. A further nine drivers were given verbal warnings over hours and failing to record journeys and times correctly.

A Cumbria County Council spokesman said yesterday they were confident the firm would provide a “safe and reliable service”.

“The irregularities that the traffic commissioner highlighted relate to European tachograph legislation from 2006 and were not committed on any of the services that Reays carry out for the council,” he said.

“We are confident that Reays has in place the necessary operating procedures to be able to offer a safe and reliable service. Reays have provided transport for Cumbria County Council for 10 years and this is the first time its standards have been called into question.

“We are confident that the company has learned from the findings of the traffic commissioner and has implemented the necessary changes.”

The company, which also has a number of Cumbrian public transport route contracts, was ordered at court to find a new transport manager.

North west traffic commissioner, Beverly Bell, said she had “concerns” over current transport manager and company director, Christopher Reay, and that the company was “paying lip service to the rules”.

A spokesman for Reays Coaches said: “The period in question began in 2006 when the company used to operate HGVs, which is no longer the case, and when it was going through a difficult period caused by external circumstances.

“Reays Coaches fully accept the findings and have already brought in a whole range of new and sophisticated training procedures and systems for drivers, staff and vehicles to avoid any repetition of these offences.

“Reays Coaches would also like to point out that no accidents or road safety incidents were caused as a result of these issues.”

Reays operates school buses for pupils at James Rennie, Wiggonby, Bowness on Solway Primary, Thomlinson Junior, Wigton Infant, Queen Elizabeth Grammar, Ullswater Community College, Boltons, Nelson Thomlinson, Beacon Hill Community, Caldew, St Matthews and Kirkbride schools.