THE former award-winning Head of Engineering at Warrington’s Own Bus has been struck off and the company formally warned, after more than 20 vehicles operated without an MoT last year.
A Public Inquiry has judged that the former Head of Engineering Stephen Stringer is disqualified with immediate effect for 24 months until 14 June 2024 from acting as a transport manager on any operator’s licence.
In accordance with the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 Sections 17(3)(aa) a condition was also attached to the Standard International National Public Service Vehicle operator’s licence of Warrington Borough Transport Limited PC0001977 limiting the number of vehicles authorised on the licence from 125 vehicles to 120 vehicles for a period of 28 days with effect from 23:45 hours on Friday 24 June 2022 until 23:45 hours on Friday 22 July 2022. It is understood the company is currently only operating 85 vehicles.
A Formal Warning has also been recorded on the record of Warrington Borough Transport Limited.
The Traffic Commissioner’s findings stated: “On findings in accordance with Paragraph 7B(2) of Schedule 3 of the Act, the good repute of Transport Manager Stephen Stringer is lost and he is disqualified with immediate effect and for 24 months until 14 June 2024 from acting as a transport manager on any operator’s licence.”
In 2019 Mr Stringer was crowned Engineer of the Year 2019 at the UK Bus Awards.
He joined Warrington’s Own Buses as an apprentice back in 1999 when he was described as ‘placing a great deal of importance on the development, mentoring and coaching of his fellow engineers.’
The award recognised and rewards inspirational management talent in engineering disciplines from across the bus industry.
The Inquiry heard that misleading information had been supplied to company directors and the Traffic Commissioner.
The bus company was found to have more than 20 buses without a valid MOT certificate in November 2021, but immediately rectified the issue.
Buses had been allowed MOT extensions during covid, but these came after that period.
Company Directors were recognised for their transparent reporting of the issues and the corrective actions taken.
A spokesman for Warrington’s Own Buses, said: “We completely accept the outcome of this inquiry. The individual in question, who previously was trusted and highly respected across the industry, was suspended immediately and subsequently left our employment. We have since put in place additional measures to increase the scrutiny of our engineering processes to ensure that misreporting does not, and cannot, happen again in the future, with this work recognised in the inquiry.”
