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Should Costs be Awarded ?

17th September 1965
Page 62
Page 62, 17th September 1965 — Should Costs be Awarded ?
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

T FANCY lant not alone in thinking that the failure of a considerable proportion of I applicants for carrier's or passenger licences to appear in traffic courts is rapidly assuming the dimensions of a public scandal.

Thousands of pounds of public money are wasted each year in the publication of applications which, in the event, fail through lack of prosecution. The time of Ministry of Transport staff in assembling licence tiles and associated information for the use of Licensing Authorities or Traffic Commissioners at Public Inquiries is Frittered away needlessly. Objectors and advocates appear, at considerable expense and inconvenience, and any rebuttal evidence they have painstakingly collected is so much water under the bridge.

LAs and Traffic Commissioners—who are a long-suffering breed of men in this matter—have lately been condemning unmannerly operators in forthright terms. The chairman of the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, Maj. F. S. Eastwood, said at Leeds in a recent case that he regretted the court was not a judicial one, otherwise he would have awarded costs to the objectors.

He said this apropos the non-attendance of Garvin S. Allan, trading as Garvin's Coaches. of 12 Swalesdale Road, Sheffield, who had applied for a new excursions and tours licence to operate day excursions from Sheffield to Durham. for the miners' gala. to Newcastle for the races. and to such places as Redcar. Saltburn, Bowes Museum. Barnard Castle and Teesdale.

Six objections were lodged by Sheffield verators to Garvin's Coaches' applicaion. Each sent a representative to the nearing, involving a journey of 30-odd miles from Sheffield. The two advocates appearing for the objectors would, no doubt, need more than a crust of bread For their trouble.

I understand that Mr. Allan is authorized to run one coach, which, presumably. engages in private hire work. This application dates back to April and must have been made with the approaching season in mind. An objector suggested to our reporter that a further application could be lodged and the whole sorry fiasco repeated, especially if, on the day of the sitting, the applicant took on a private hire job.

If I have been unfair to Mr. Garvin S. Allan I apologize: obviously, some unforeseen circumstances may prevent attendance on occasion. At Manchester, last week only two of the 14 cases listed remained in the list when the hearing commenced, and neither applicant turned up. though objectors were present.