A TROUBLED Exeter coach firm has launched an investigation after one of its drivers was photographed apparently using a mobile phone while transporting passengers on a dual carriageway.
Carmel Coaches is operating under a stay of execution as it awaits the outcome of an appeal against the loss of its licence after a series of "woeful" safety failures came to light.
In the latest blow for the company, a passenger who was using the free shuttle service from the Westpoint Arena to Exeter St David's on Sunday appears to have caught a driver on camera using his mobile phone at the wheel.
Bosses at Carmel Coaches have pledged an immediate investigation and said the last thing it needed was more negative publicity.
The passenger, who has asked not to be named, said the photo was taken on Sunday afternoon as she returned from the Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycrafts Show at Westpoint.
She said: "He was driving along the A3015 and the A379 Rydon Lane and I noticed he kept looking down. The coach was swaying slightly. It looked like he was scrolling through text messages. I did hang on for a minute as if it had not been for very long I would have let it go. He was doing it for a good few minutes and I managed to take a couple of pictures of him.
"It felt like his actions were quite dangerous and I just thought it was pure stupidity, especially in light of the accident and all the stories around recently about Carmel Coaches. He should have been a bit more careful and safety conscious.
"Maybe he thought he could get away with it as there were not that many of us on the coach. But I feel a professional coach driver really should be whiter than white with their driving.
"This needs to be taken seriously. I don't want to see anyone lose their job but I think the driver does need a few words in his ear about safety."
Founder and director of Carmel Coaches Tony Hazell said he was concerned by the allegations and pledged a full enquiry.
He said: "This is the first I have heard of this, so thank you for bringing it to our attention. Our drivers are not allowed to use mobile phones while driving and that is a very clear instruction.
"I can confirm we were running the service in question. This is not a problem we have had before. I have seen this sort of thing in the papers before involving other operators.
"But I would like to look into this further. With everything else going on at the moment the last thing we need is any more negative publicity."
Mr Hazell and his son Michael face losing their operating licence if their appeal to the Upper Tribunal that was heard in London earlier this month is unsuccessful.
The appeal hearing was told about a number of serious defects that had been found on vehicles used by the company over the last three years and the judge described the firm's maintenance as a "shambles".
Mr Hazell said they are still awaiting the outcome of the appeal, which is due within 28 days of the appeal hearing.
Carmel, which until recently operated a number of school contracts across the county, was the company whose coach was involved in a crash near Looe in May in which two people died.
No defects have been found with that coach and the Traffic Commissioner's decision to withdraw the firm's licence was not related to the fatal crash in Cornwall. The driver, a 58-year-old Exeter man, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and is on bail pending further enquiries.
