Gwynedd coach driver involved in French crash banned from carrying passengers

A coach driver who crashed while taking teenagers on a school trip has been banned from carrying passengers.

Melvyn John Lane , 51, today appeared before the Traffic Commissioner for Wales, having already pleaded guilty to failing to take a sufficient break before setting off for Italy last July.

Two days later, on July 23, the Express Motors coach crashed into a ditch on a French motorway near the Swiss border.

Lane, of New Street, Porthmadog, worked as a night shift driver for an out-of-hours doctor service, but had only had six hours’ rest before starting his journey with a coach full of school pupils.

The minimum rest required by law is nine hours.

At the public inquiry in Welshpool this morning, Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones heard expert evidence from traffic examiner Sarah O’Brien, who said it was “unlikely” that Lane’s lack of rest before setting off played a part in the crash.

Mr Jones was also told that Express Motors , for whom Lane worked in an informal agreement, were unaware the driver had had so little rest before getting behind the wheel.

Ms O’Brien said: “It’s clear the driver should have told his employers, but didn’t.”

Lane had finished the previous night’s shift at 8am before setting off for France at 2:15pm.

When the coach crashed on July 23, more than 15 people on board were injured, two of them seriously.

The coach , which also had another driver on board, was carrying pupils and staff from a school in Cheltenham.

In his summing up, Mr Jones said: “Drivers’ hours rules are not academic. They’re about safety and saving lives.

“I do not accept the claim that the act was not intentional, as Mr Lane knowingly failed to inform his employers that he had been working just six hours previously, and went ahead with the journey regardless.

“I feel left with no option but to implement a suspension of Mr Lane’s public service vehicle licence for a period of time.”

Michael Strain, defending, said Lane had not driven a public service vehicle since the incident, and was keen to undertake further training before doing so again, including a course on the importance of taking adequate breaks.

Mr Jones imposed a six-week public service driving ban.

In March, Lane was ordered by Caernarfon magistrates to pay £726 in fines and costs.

The public service driving ban will have no bearing on his personal driving licence.