A CHIPPENHAM coach firm has been fined almost £9,000 after checks revealed its buses were late or did not turn up.

Fosseway Coaches has been ordered to repay £8,800 fuel rebate duty, and has been banned from running any new services for six months.

The Bumpers Farm-based firm was called before Western Area Traffic Commissioner Philip Brown to explain why it was not sticking to its timetable.

Inspectors checked 287 buses and found 45 did not turn up, and 53 were late.

Fosseway's general operations manager Justin Pickford said he worked night and day to put things right. He said: "I hope I will be given the opportunity to get things right."