Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
LONDON COACH SERVICE INQUIRY CONTINUES
Evidence Given on Behalf of Welt-known Operators
(AN Monday of Iast week the Com
mittee of Inquiry into London Motor Coach Services continued its hearing of evidence for and against the use of central London by coaches aud the restriction of picking-up points.
MacShane's Motors, Ltd., continued to protest against restriction of pickingup points by the Metropolitan Commissioner, as did Fairways, Ltd., Varsity Coaches, Ltd., Tourist Motor Coaches (Southampton), Ltd., and Highways, Ltd.
Mr. Charles Dobbs, on behalf of the Roadways Federation, said that when the Minister of Transport banned coaches from central London, operators brought an action to test the legality of the Minister's Order, which they lost in the High Court, but appealed against the decision. Before the appeal was heard, however, the Minister withdrew the Order, instead of which he had issued instructions to the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner and these had the same effect.
Mr. F. A. Film, of the M.T. Co.,
claimed that, by reason of the directions that the Minister had given to the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner, he (the Minister) had acted ultra vires and had vitiated the discretion given to the Commissioner under the Road Traffic Act. As a result, the Commissioner had prejudged cases that came before him, to the detriment of the coaching industry.
On Tuesday Mr. Flin continued his evidence, pointing out that a census taken in May of last year showed that only 1 per cent. of the traffic passing over the bridges in central London consisted of coaches, and of this total nearly half were Green Line vehicles.
On the matter of coach stations, Mr. Flin said that if the Green Line premises in Poland Street cost £130,000, he estimated that, with interest an-d overhead charges, the sum represented a cost of 3d. per passenger using the station. He sought feeder services on most routes and argued against the rigid restriction of picking-up points.
Other evidence was given on behalf of Keith and Boyle, Ltd., and Geo. Ewer and Co.
Wednesday brought forth representations from Thos. Cook and Son, Ltd. (also Frames' Tours and the Travel Association of Great Britain, in association with the first-named company), the Federation of Ratepayers' Associations of Middlesex, and the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, Ltd., all in favour of the use of central London by coachas, and from the Pedestrians' Association, which desired such vehicles to be banned.
On behalf of Thos. Cook and Son, Ltd., it was stated that a large proportion of the concern's business was . connected with conducted tours, partly in London, and these in no way competed with ordinary coach services. The Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner's ruling would have the effect of preventing parties from being picked up at an hotel, involving severe inconvenience.