CONCERN was growing last night over the safety of the region's children after it emerged that almost one in ten school transport vehicles had been condemned as dangerous in a spot check.

Police and traffic inspectors swooped during the past week across County Durham and immediately ordered 13 vehicles off the roads.

Six buses had tyres so worn they were classed as immediately dangerous, and in one case the driver of a taxi taking pupils to a special school was found to be over the drink limit.

The findings, which mirror those from elsewhere in the region, were condemned as "appalling" by road safety campaigners.

During the second half of April, checks were carried out at 11 locations around the county as part of Operation Coachman, run by Durham Police in conjunction with Durham County Council and the Vehicle Inspectorate.

Police officers stopped buses and taxis leaving schools in Wingate, Easington Colliery, Durham, Barnard Castle, Darlington, Sedgefield and Spennymoor after dropping children off.

One taxi driver, a 49-year-old from the Chester-le-Street area, was on his way back after dropping off a child at a special school in the county last Wednesday when he was stopped.

A police spokeswoman said: "The officer who stopped the vehicle gave the driver a breath test, which he failed.

"He was charged with driving with excess alcohol, and will appear at Aycliffe Magistrates' Court on Friday.

"The education authority immediately terminated the firm's contract."

The condemned vehicles included some with defective lights, insecure seats and a jammed passenger door.

A further 11 were issued with delayed prohibition notices, giving the bus operators time to correct minor faults.

Michael Lightfoot, managing director of Durham City Coaches and regional chairman of the Northern Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: "We operate seven school contracts per day and we had a couple of vehicles checked but didn't have any problems.

"When the council allocates contracts, it's purely based on price and not quality.

"I don't believe that operators are adequately vetted and past records are not taken into consideration."

Superintendent Barry Peart, Durham Constabulary's head of traffic, said: "These checks demonstrate our commitment to minimise the risk of youngsters becoming casualties.

"Despite our efforts and publicity, some drivers continue to use vehicles which are unsafe."

A council spokeswoman denied that safety was being sacrificed in favour of cutting costs.

"A number of things are taken into account when contracts are awarded, and obviously cost is one, but it's not the only criterion," she said.

"Previous records with the county council, compliance with fitting seat belts, road worthiness and breaches of contract are also considered."

Operation Coachman was the latest in regular safety checks carried out on school transport in the region. The most recent check by Northumbria Police found two out of ten vehicles in breach of operators' regulations, and a year ago in North Yorkshire, six out of 69 tested were ordered off the road.

In 2000, The Northern Echo launched a School Seatbelt Scandal campaign after a survey revealed that thousands of the region's school buses were without them.

Durham county councillor Watts Stelling, Independent representative for Medomsley and Leadgate, condemned the latest findings.

He said: "Safety should always override cost, and Operation Coachman has proved this is not the case. It's absolutely appalling.