A COACH company responsible for transporting hundreds of Andover schoolchildren is fighting a suspension which will ban its vehicles from the road for a month.

Penton Mewsey-based Black & White Motorways Ltd had a 28 day suspension order slapped on its eight coaches after a safety inspector found a loose nut on a wheel. But company director Peter Bailey said the coach in question was being maintained in the garage - and he intends to appeal against the ruling.

"We always have been safe and we still are safe. There's never been an incident - we haven't even had anyone break a finger nail on our coaches," he said.

The firm, which has been operating coaches and vintage buses for 18 years, is contracted to Hampshire County Council to carry out school runs.

A public inquiry was held last month following a routine inspection at Black & White's Penton Mewsey depot which found three faults, two of which - for record keeping and maintenance - Mr Bailey disputes.

"One of our coaches was said to have severely worn brakes, but it had just returned from its MOT," he said.

A Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) spokesman said: "The inquiry held to hear evidence from that report resulted in the licence being withdrawn for 28 days from 12am on 4 July to 12am on 31 July."

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