A bus company faces a fine of almost £30,000 after it was accused of being unreliable and unsafe.

Bosses from Eastbourne Buses were ordered to appear at a public inquiry today following a report which said 23 per cent of the firm's buses were not keeping to their timetable.

Representatives from the firm said there were "reasonable explanations" behind most of the times it was late.

An inquiry at Eastbourne was told that there were also questions about the company's financial position which would be dealt with via written documents sent through at a later date and that issues surrounding the company's conviction for a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act would also be considered.

The firm was fined £25,000 in July after fitter Richard Gander, of Avondale Road, Eastbourne, was injured at its depot in Birch Road, Eastbourne two years before.

In September 2006 bus driver Roy Trundell, 62, of Solway, Hailsham, died when a bus reversed into him as he transferred from one vehicle to another.

Traffic commissioner Phillip Brown said he would not be using his powers to revoke or suspend the bus company's licence.

But he said was considering imposing a heavy fine.

He questioned the firm's representatives at the hearing and said he would send out a written decision about what, if any, punishment he would hand out within 28 days.

Traffic Commissioners have set a target where 95 per cent of services should not be more than one minute early or five minutes late.

They have the power to fine any company up to £550 for each of the buses they operate if they break these rules.

Eastbourne Buses runs a total of 50 vehicles - meaning a potential fine of £27,500 for the firm.

An inspector from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency monitored the transport firm on three separate days in June and July and found services were only within the "window of tolerance" for keeping to the timetable for 77 per cent of the time.

Managing director Steven Barnett said there was a "reasonable excuse" behind each time the buses were late. He said on one occasion extreme weather conditions had caused delays, on another it was the fault of a bad driver, and during a certain period they had been trying out a new route which had taken drivers a while to get used to.

Other excuses included the building of new traffic calming puffin crossings, an influx of foreign language students on the first day of their summer term and a temporary shortage of 'low floor' buses.

Mr Barnett said the lack of especially adapted buses, which make access easy for the elderly, disabled and mothers with prams, meant it took longer for people to get on buses.

Jonathan Backhouse, representing the bus firm, said: "Most of the time the operator had a reasonable excuse for what caused the delay.

"The regulations allow a six minute window of lateness and bus drivers are extremely expert in trying to move to certain points on routes by certain times.

"But those of us who drive know it is not easy to get to work at the same time every day within a five minute period and operators are entitled to rely on reasonable excuses."

Mr Backhouse went on to say the incident involving Mr Gander was an isolated one which staff had responded to quickly by reviewing the way employees worked.