THE Department of Transport has revoked the licence of a Newton Abbot coach company after a critical report by the Vehicle Inspectorate.
At a public inquiry in Bristol on Tuesday, Alansway Coaches, which operates from the King Charles I Business Park, in Heathfield, were ordered to cease operating by May 1, 2003, following VI checks on a fleet of six coaches in November.
One immediate prohibition was ordered after the checks, along with three delayed prohibitions. The commissioner for the Western Traffic Area, Philip Brown, also expressed concern about the company's finances affecting the maintaining of vehicles.
Alan Partridge, director of Alansway Coaches, believes the Department of Transport is making it almost impossible for small, rural bus companies to operate.
'We operate secondary services to rural areas,' said Mr Partridge, 'and the Department of Transport is trying to get old buses off the roads. We have to operate older vehicles because the routes will not sustain newer buses and of course they have higher maintenance needs.
'The only way it could be done is if the county council subsidise rural bus services and that would cost them a huge amount of money.
'There are only two options; people can either have the services with older buses or no services at all. What would you rather have?
'We have been operating for 10 years, since we first took on the 183 in Teignmouth. We now carry 2,000 single journeys per day. All the people who use those services will go back to having no service at all.
'The Department of Transport is being unnecessarily heavy. If they get their way it will mean the annihilation of rural bus services.'
Alansway has the option of re-applying for its licence but will have to do so under a new director.
This would mean Mr Partidge's son or daughter taking over directorship.