SCHOOL transport was tested as part of a police operation checking on road worthiness and safety and most passed with flying colours.

Seven were issued with prohibition notices for a variety of mechanical defects including: defective rear suspension; bulging brake pipes; fractured seats; defective seatbelts; faulty brake lights and for not meeting local authority regulations.

A warning was also given for not displaying a "children on board" sign.

Documentation of individual drivers was also checked to make sure it was up to date.

But Operation Coachman was hailed as a success because the number of vehicles found to have defects decreased from nine per cent to six per cent since last October.

Gwent Police officers and the Vehicle Operator Services Agency staff stopped and checked vehicles used to transport children to school over the last week.

A total of 111 were stopped at locations across the county including St. Josephs School, Duffryn; the Testing Centre, New Inn; and King Henry VIII School, Abergavenny.

Inspector Steve Corcoran, of Gwent Police Road Policing Unit, was pleased with the results.

"This is a significant reduction in the numbers of prohibitions issued, the last Operation Coachman showed that nine to ten per cent of vehicles stopped showed defects and in this latest operation, only six per cent showed defects.

"We will continue to work with our partner agencies to highlight the importance of this issue and to ensure the standard of vehicles taking children to school continues to improve."