The Malta Transport Authority has withdrawn the public transport licence of the tail-lift van driver involved in yesterday's traffic accident in which a 14-year-old student was injured, pending the outcome of a board of inquiry set up by the Education Ministry.

Although school transport is contracted by the Education Ministry and sometimes by private schools, licences to operate special vehicles such as mini and tail-lift vans are issued by the authority.

The girl was badly injured after falling out of a school van and hit by a mini-van but has since taken a turn for the better and is expected to make a full recovery.

The accident happened on Thursday afternoon when the girl was on her way home from school in a tail-lift van, normally used to transport persons with disabilities.

For some reason, the back door opened and the girl fell out, consequently sustaining serious injuries when she was hit by an oncoming mini-van.

The authority said yesterday it has stepped up its enforcement in the regulation of public transport operations. Since the start of the scholastic year, about 40 drivers have been booked for offences relating to vehicle overloading. These offenders shall be brought before the courts and, if found guilty, the authority shall be calling on the courts to suspend both the driver and the van in question from operation.

The authority is asking for the cooperation of the general public and schools in reporting vehicles that are overloaded with school children on Freephone 80072393.

Meanwhile, the Mini-Bus Cooperative yesterday issued a statement in defence of the mini-van driver in question insisting he never sped off from the spot as reported in the media.

On the contrary, it said, the driver was the first to stop and offer help. After he did this, he left to drive the 14 students in his van home. These students were under intense shock and panic after witnessing the accident and the driver wanted to rush them home as soon as possible, the cooperative said.