AN EDINBURGH coach firm which operated school buses in the city has been banned from using half its fleet in February after flouting licence rules.

Cramond Coaches will be prevented from using four of its eight vehicles next month after a traffic tribunal in Edinburgh heard the firm breached licence undertakings and director Graham Pender failed to cooperate with information requests.

The firm appeared before the Traffic Commissioner following an investigation by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and a report from Lothian and Borders Police. The force were carrying out checks in August 2012 when they discovered that Cramond employee Ian Taylor, had not passed the vocational driving test required to drive the school bus. As a result, DVSA investigators requested records from the company. The company initially failed to provide the documents, but when they did, it emerged that its drivers had driven on 90 occasions without the correct licence entitlement.

Mr Taylor took the necessary training and passed the test after the issue had been brought to his attention.