CALNE haulage firm Bryants Transport has been ordered to halve its fleet of vehicles because of an unsatisfactory maintenance report earlier this year.

The firm, based at Mile Elm Farm, is operated by Wiltshire county and North Wiltshire district councillor Nancy Bryant, with her husband Christopher.

They were due to appear at a public inquiry before Philip Brown, traffic commissioner for the Western Traffic Area, on Tuesday in Bristol.

But it did not go ahead because the Bryants accepted the action the commissioner decided to take against them.

In May a check by the Vehicle Inspectorate found faults on two vehicles. It also revealed there was no defect reporting system in place for drivers and showed the company had been exceeding its own inspection intervals.

The Bryants were warned the matter would be taken to an inquiry, but the Vehicle Inspectorate made a return visit to check out the vehicles on August 19 and found significant improvements.

The commissioner decided to take disciplinary action for the previous poor report and curtailed the company's operating licence.

The licence was reduced from seven vehicles and two trailers to three vehicles and two trailers.

Coun Bryant was unwilling to elaborate on the maintenance report.

She said: "I am happy that they have accepted the vehicle maintenance and have no other comment."