St Martins Preparatory School Limited, which runs school minibuses from a site in Grimsby, had its restricted public service vehicle operator's licence curtailed and suspended following a public inquiry in Leeds on 10 September 2026, according to a Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain press release published on 25 September 2026. Deputy Traffic Commissioner Gerallt Evans reduced the licence from two vehicles to one and suspended it for 14 days, from 25 September to 9 October 2026. The company was also required to commission an independent audit of its transport safety and compliance systems and to appoint a clearly identified responsible person for the licence.

The inquiry heard that concerns first raised by enforcement authorities in 2024 were later highlighted in an independent audit and in investigations by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. Commissioner Evans found the operator had not kept vehicles maintained in line with declared inspection schedules, had not met undertakings on maintenance records and drivers' hours compliance, and had operated vehicles with wider licensing and regulatory shortcomings. The commissioner found directors had effectively delegated compliance to staff who were not suitably qualified. Some corrective action, including training and temporary withdrawal of vehicles, had been taken, but the commissioner concluded the case's negative features significantly outweighed the positives.

Evans said there was an almost complete lack of effective management control of the licence, and that a March 2025 MoT failure involving a vehicle with a tyre cut to the cord raised considerable concern about road safety, especially for a vehicle carrying schoolchildren. The Traffic Commissioners said all operators, including schools running minibuses, are expected to have robust systems ensuring roadworthiness, maintenance and full compliance with drivers' hours and licensing requirements.