Operator not agent must hold a licence
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THE OPERATOR of coaches on airport diversion work should be the holder of the road service licence and not the ground handling agent organising the services, say the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioners in a reserved decision.
Donald Alexander Watt, trading as Grasshopper Coaches, Horsham, had applied for a licence from Gatwick Airport to any point in the country, when aircraft are diverted. The application was opposed by Courtlands Car Services Ltd (CM. November 10,1978).
The Commissioners were told that Mr Wells had provided a service to ground handling agents, Complete Trans port and Hotel Reservations (Gatwick) Ltd for two years before realising that a licence was necessary.
Courtlands argued that the real providers of the service were Complete Transport and they should have applied for the licence and not Mr Watts.
In any event, there were already a number of licensed operators and there was no reason why the usual system of sub-contracting should not operate.
In their decision, granting the application, the Commis sioners said that although they appreciated the problems inherent in assembling sufficient coaches to meet urgent needs at the airport, they were not satisfied that the licence holder should be Complete Transport.
Complete Transport were not holders of licences, and before a road service licence could be granted they would require a permit to hire. The holder of such a permit woulc not easily be able to check the fitness of the vehicles he was hiring_ He must also be pro fessionally competent to hold a psv licence, or employ a pro fessionally competent transport manager. There was nc sign that Complete Transport wanted to do so.
Although the objectors were licensed for diversionary work and the applicant could operate under sub-contract tc them, the Commissioners had to consider the need for the facility for which Mr Watt wa; seeking a licence. It was cleat that the applidant's coach wa; needed by Complete Trans. port, who said they could not reliably get enough coaches There were too few coache: for the number of passengers and Mr Watt had told therr that he did not wish to sub. contract.
Hence there would be RUE or no abstraction from thE licensed services provided by Courtlands. concluded thE Commissioners.