Well over half the buses in the province registered serious safety defects when submitted for their first ITV test. Of 560 vehicles tested during the past three months, 372 showed serious defects.
The main safety concerns related to braking systems (29.6% of cases), suspension, wheels and tyres (14.2%), bodywork and lights (9.7%) and interior fittings (5.6%). Relating to special safety concerns regarding school transport, 18% of the buses had serious problems.
Buses failing the ITV test are immediately taken off the road until the owners resolve the problems.