BUS INQUIRIES IN SOUTH WALES.
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Brief Details of the Proceedings of Two Ministry of Transport Inquiries Which Have Recent'y Been Held.
MR. CECIL IfAMAGE, a representative of the Ministry of Trans-port, conducted an inquiry at Linntrisant a few days ago into the refusal cif the Llantrisant and Llantwit Fardre Rural District Council to grant Mr. J. A. Cox, bus proprietor of Treforest, licences to ply for hire with buses en the Pontypridd Beddau Llantrisant route. Mr. Cox stated that soon after the empowering of this council with the author:ty to refuse or grant licences an examination of vehicles was made by its representative. He also stated that no notice of this was given to bus pro
prietors and that buses were held up for inspection actually on the routes.
The result of this examination was declared to the bus owners at a meeting of the council to which they were summoned. Mr. Cox said he was told that his buses required overhauling, and despite his application then and subsequently for details of the alleged defects he was refused the required information. The council, however, stated, according to Mr. Cox, that in view of the defects discovered in vehicles during examination licences for his buses would be withdrawn, and this decision was adhered to, despite his protest that he should be informed of the alleged defects.
It was then alleged that the council contended that the routes were congested by bus traffic, and. this was given as a reason for withholding Mr. Cox's licences.
For the council, evidence was given of defects in Mr. Cox's vehicles, of the congested state of the roads of the district and of the adequacy of existing services.
Mr. Ramage said that it appeared to him that it might' be desirable to have expert advice from a Ministry of Transport engineer on the alleged defects. The decision with regard to the appeal will be made known in due course.
An inquiry was also held by Mr. Ramage, at Cardiff, on September 2nd, into the refusal of the Cardiff "City Council and the Risca and Aherearn Urban District Councils to grant bus licences to Griffin Motors, Ltd., BrynMawr, Mon., to operate a through seiiice between Brynmawr and St. Mellons to Cardiff, via the Monmouthshire industrial valleys.
Evidence was confined to the hearing of the case for the councils, the bus com pany's statement having been put forward. The allegation of the local authorities was that present services being adequate to meet the public need competition amongst owners would tend to cause dangerous speeding. The congested condition of the route was also said to be a basis of the councils' action, and Mr. Williams, surveyor to the Aberearn Urban District Council, gave evidence on this matter.
Evidence was given with regard to accidents on the route. Since May, 1926, mishaps had resulted in 95 persons sustaining injury, whilst one
person had been killed. These accidents were on the Risca, Aberearn, St„ Alellons and Cardiff-Newport roads. Photographs of danger points on the route were produced and, in one ease, an illustration was shown of a point where buses had to pull into the roadside to allow other vehicles to pass. It is stated that witnesses who were crossexamined agreed that if this could be allowed in the ease of other company's buses it could also be permitted by those of Griffin Motors, Ltd. The main contention of the company was that extended long-distance bus facilities were urgently needed in the district.
The proceedings were closed after the route had been traversed by Mr. Ramage and the final decision will be announced later.