A GWENT travel company faces the prospect of legal action after allegedly failing to consult with employees before making them redundant days before Christmas.

Up to 40 drivers and staff lost their jobs when 2 Travel closed its Cwmbran depot, and TGWU organisers are fighting to secure redundancy settlements.

Some drivers say they are still owed wages and holiday pay.

One former employee, Paul Evans, from Pontypool, told us he was "gutted" after numerous attempts to find out from the company when he would be paid.

Drivers say they were handed letters on December 22 informing them the depot would cease operating from the end of that day.

The Wales-wide company had closed a depot in Cardiff the previous week. Depots in Swansea and Llanelli are still operating.

Up to 16 school routes run by the company in Gwent have been tendered to other operators by the councils involved.

The TGWU organiser for Gwent, Geoff Woods, said he was looking into legal action on the grounds that 2 Travel did not consult with the workforce about the closure.

He called the attitude of the company, which he says has failed to respond to his requests for a meeting, as "totally irresponsible".

He said: "All employees had is a letter dated December 20, which they received two days later, basically saying'your job's gone, don't bother coming to work' - is that consultation? I don't think it is.

"It has a legal obligation to consult with people, and that hasn't happened.

"We will be seeking legal advice on the company's failure to do so." Former employees like Mr Evans, 35, of Blaendare Road, are still reeling from the shock. Mr Evans says he is waiting for at least 300 in wages and holiday pay while he desperately searches for work. He said: "We knew something was going on with the company, but we understood Cwmbran was the only depot making money, so we didn't think they'd axe it."

Trading was suspended on 2 Travel shares on November 15, when they were priced at 1.63p. They had fallen from a high of 8p in January 2004.