GHA Coaches Directors ‘Disqualified’ As Inquiry Hears Of ‘Shambolic’ Maintenance

The Traffic Commissioner for Wales is conducting an inquiry into the collapse of GHA Coaches, with directors involved wanting to continue to offer bus services in the Wrexham area.

GHA collapsed into administration in July, and finally closed the same month, with some hardware subsequently auctioned off.

Question marks were raised over the plans that the former directors of GHA were being approved to run routes. Arwyn Lloyd Davies, and Gareth Lloyd Davies both from Corwen are listed as Directors of GHA Coaches on Companies House, both are also listed as Directors of RJ’s of Wem Limited who will be subject to a further inquiry.

Today The Daily Post reported from Welshpool where the Traffic Commissioner for Wales, Nick Davies, was conducting an inquiry into GHA Coaches.

The Daily Post report that the brothers ‘have been disqualified from becoming bus company bosses’, with it appearing the pair had a hammering in the inquiry. One line picked out by The Daily Post notes a “wheel fell off a bus carrying Flintshire schoolchildren” attributed to ‘shambolic maintenance.’ The length of the disqualification from operating will be decided at a later date.

The BBC note in their report ‘Over a two year period, 161 buses were checked and 49 were were deemed not worthy to be on the road.’

Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru’s North Wales AM, commented this afternoon: “The details revealed in today’s inquiry by the Transport Commissioner are shocking – passengers’ lives were put at risk by poor management.

“The decision to disqualify is undoubtedly correct and it does raise question as to the directors’ competence to run any public transport company safely in the future. It also raises questions about the monitoring of bus companies to ensure that passengers are safeguarded.”

Back in August it was reported that Wrexham Council was looking to the old directors to run buses under another company name, and at the time said that any final tender approval would require the green light from the Commissioner, after today it does not seem likely that will be forthcoming.

We asked Wrexham Council for comment, and a spokesperson said: “We will not be making any comment on this matter at this time. The matter is for the Traffic Commissioner and the public inquiry.”

You can read the full Daily Post report here.