Problems with Monmouthshire’s school buses run deeper than feared, according to one of the council’s workers.

Speaking exclusively to the Beacon, the worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said the recently-reported incident of three Passenger Transport Unit vehicles - the yellow-painted coaches owned and maintained by Monmouthshire County Council - being taken off the road was “just the tip of the iceberg”, in a story including a number of allegations over the condition of the fleet of around 20 vehicles.

The buses, which transport hundreds of school children during term time, are also used for private hire and are based at two yards, in Raglan and Caldicot.

The council source told the Beacon that in excess of 15 buses were taken off the road at once in April 2018, amid an ongoing investigation into the former passenger transport unit manager, with cases of doors not opening, of buses suffering from rusted frameworks and chassis and even a story of a bus door flying open while the vehicle was being driven on the motorway.

According to the worker, when picking up a group of passengers the doors of the bus failed to open, with the driver having to return to the depot to collect a different vehicle. But on return from the destination, while travelling on the motorway, the hydraulic door apparently flew open.

This, they said, was just one example of the condition of the vehicles.

“You would not believe the state they are in considering they are used to transport school children,” they told the Beacon.

“There’s no way I’d let my children anywhere near [the buses],” they said.

A number of the issues appear to have occurred under the responsibility of a former manager of the passenger transport unit of Monmouthshire County Council, who the Beacon understands was suspended from his role for some 48 weeks before resigning.

His deputy, the council’s traffic controller, also resigned some weeks later.

It is understood by the Beacon that both officers remained on full pay while an extensive investigation into the department took place - with around two thirds of the department’s drivers being interviewed.

A number of issues apparently stem from the quality of vehicles purchased by the council - with accusations by the worker that the department “used to buy other people’s cast-offs”.

And while the council has apparently now introduced methods to track defects, there are still apparently issues. Drivers are now required to inspect their own vehicles and record any faults - major or minor. But the Beacon was told that these are not always remedied immediately, with some buses continuing to be driven for weeks with known issues.

A Monmouthshire County Council spokesperson said: “Passenger safety on board our transport is always our first priority. We have protocols and procedures in place to ensure that our vehicles are checked daily for defects. All vehicles are checked regularly for servicing and repairs. Replacement vehicles are provided while works are undertaken.”