Two Fenland bus companies were facing a major crisis today after the Traffic Commissioners - industry regulators- revoked their licence to operate from June 9.

Emblings Coaches and Judds Travel of Guyhirn also provides home to school and college transport on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council.

If the companies are forced to close a dozen jobs could be lost.

A council spokesman said: “In response to the judgement made by the Traffic Commissioner, both been told that their contracts with the council will be terminated June 3.

“The routes have already been put out to tender, and we hope to have new operators in place by the end of May.

“This would comply within the timescales allowed by the Traffic Commissioner in making his decision to revoke their licences.”

At a public inquiry in Cambridge this week the Traffic Commissioners also disqualified the directors from holding a PCV O-licence indefinitely.

One of the routes operated by the company is the 701 from Peterborough to Coates; it is a commercial service and receives no subsidies.

The issues that brought the companies before the Traffic Commissioners began with a maintenance inspection a year ago. The Traffic Commissioners met in September and commented upon record keeping standards that fell below the necessary standards.

Director Mark Judd had told the earlier hearing he accepted there were issues outstanding and had spread himself too thinly.

The hearing was postponed but areas of concern – including brake inspections- were not remedied within the time scales allowed.

New brake testing equipment was discussed but not bought and the commissioners, meeting last week, felt that with the financial information they held it was unlikely this would still be purchased.