A transport operator from Liversedge has been banned from holding an operator licence for seven years.

Sarah Hussain has had her operator licence revoked under the Public Passenger Vehicle Act after she was found to have lost her good repute by North East Traffic Commissioner Kevin Rooney at a public inquiry.

Transport operator Mohammed Shabbir, of Kinsley, near Wakefield, was disqualified from holding a licence for five years, and transport manager Ghulam Shabbir, also of KInsley, was found to be unfit to act in such a capacity for ten years, at the same inquiry.

Mr Rooney said the inquiry arose from a series of investigations by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) into PSV operators, following the tragic fatal collision on the M62 near Castleford, in April last year, in which a teenage hen party guest was killed.

A crash occurred between an articulated lorry and a minibus, driven by Bradford man James Johnson, taking a hen party to Liverpool.

Bethany Jones, 18, of South Elmsall, near Wakefield, died in the collision and 20 women from the minibus, including the bride-to-be, were injured.

Johnson, 63, of Whytecote End, Wyke, Bradford, and lorry driver Kevin Ollerhead, 44, of St Helens, Merseyside, have both been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and a provisional trial date has been fixed for October.

Miss Hussain, of Norristhorpe Avenue, Liversedge, who was authorised to keep vehicles at Hoyle Mill Road, Kinsley, was disqualified by Mr Rooney from applying for, or holding, an operator's licence in any part of Great Britain for a period of seven years.

Due to the ongoing criminal prosecution, he will not be publishing any further details.

But a spokesman for the Traffic Commissioner said his inquiry into the operators licences held by Miss Hussain and Mohammed Shabbir, and the repute and professional competence of Ghulam Shabbir, followed investigations by the Government enforcement agency, the DVSA, which commenced after the M62 crash.

The spokesman added: "As an enforcement agency, the DVSA is responsible for ensuring that operator licence holders comply with the requirements of their licence, including that vehicles are operated in a roadworthy condition and drivers are taking the necessary breaks and rest.

"Where the agency identifies that an operator and transport manager are not fulfilling these commitments,its findings are submitted to the relevant traffic commissioner for consideration.

"If the Traffic Commissioner wishes to consider taking regulatory action against the licence holder and/or transport manager, they are required to hold a public inquiry to examine the evidence.

"In this case, none of the individuals attended the public inquiry and, therefore, no evidence was discussed. Mr Rooney reached his decision based on the reports of the DVSA officers."