The regular servicing of the Bus Éireann school bus that crashed killing five secondary students in Meath two years ago did not include checking the ABS braking system because it was not included by Bus Éireann on the service check list, a court has heard.
Trim Circuit Criminal Court also heard yesterday that the ABS had been disconnected for some time before the crash but that the bus had normal braking performance and tests had found the service brakes were in good condition.
The ABS system was manufactured by British company Wabco and its examination of the system found it had recorded a minimum of 254 faults. That had resulted in the system being turned off but leaving the vehicle with normal service brakes, the court heard from Alan Turner of Wabco.
After the accident, Bus Éireann inspected its 17 DVH buses, the same model as the bus. Eight of the fleet, like the Navan bus, had originated at its Broadstone depot, none had functioning ABS and only one had an ABS warning light in place, the court heard.
Five schoolgirls died on May 23rd, 2005, when the bus went out of control and overturned on the Kentstown road out of Navan as it did a school run.
As some evidence was being given, crying could be heard from the court where some of the families have been watching the trial.
Keltank Ltd of Balbriggan, Co Dublin, which had a contract to service the bus for Bus Éireann, and McArdle's Test Centre in Dundalk, Co Louth, which tested it for the Department of the Environment, face charges brought under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act. They are not directly connected with the accident, the court has been told.
Bus driver John Hubble told the court he had not been back to the scene of the accident and he had not driven a school bus since.
He told Derek Kenneally for Keltank that he never had any problems with the brakes before the accident. He also said he had never received any documentation from Bus Éireann about the bus or got a driver's handbook.
Mr Hubble brought the bus for its 12-week service checks to Keltank which he found efficient.
The court heard Bus Éireann never told the driver that the service checklist did not include the ABS braking system. Keltank has denied failing to repair and maintain the ABS system.
Roderick O'Hanlon for McArdle's Test Centre said it appeared the bus's ABS had been disconnected and it was unclear exactly when that happened. The centre tested the bus for the Department of the Environment. Mr O'Hanlon said that if the ABS warning light was missing, this would not affect the working of the ABS system.
The company has denied an allegation that it failed to note the ABS warning light on the school bus was not operational while conducting a test on the bus.
Garda Sgt James Walsh, a public service vehicle inspector, said when he put the appropriate bulb into the dashboard panel, it lit up. He agreed that a bulb could pass a test and "could blow or fail immediately after it is tested".
A garda who examined the bus at 5pm on the day of the accident said he found the wiring to the ABS sensors to some of the wheels was disconnected and there was corrosion and mud on the wires.
Janice Ledwidge, whose car was struck by the car with which the bus had collided, said that when she saw the bus, "it was taking up both lanes. I could read the Bus Éireann logo. It was facing me across two lanes of the road."
The trial is continuing.