Week-end ski tours sought
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• In order that Lancashire enthusiasts might ski at week-ends in Aviemore, the Accrington coach proprietor Peter Hicks applied to the North Western Traffic Commissioners in Manchester last Friday for a new excursion and tours licence.
The vehicle, a Ford /Plaxton executive coach, would allow a non-stop journey from the last picking-up point to Scotland as it was equipped with toilet, light refreshment facilities and reclining seats, said Mr. J. A. Backhouse for Hicks. It was also fitted with a ski-locker and a generator to keep the coach heated if it was halted by bad weather.
The service would start in Manchester with seven picking-up points and would operate between October 1 and May 1. A 7.30 p.m. start was envisaged, arriving Aviemore 8 a.m. Saturday, with a Sunday departure at 3 p.m. arriving back at approximately midnight. There was no comparable coach service and no train returned Sunday night, thus new traffic would be generated. Passengers would book their own Saturday night accommodation or through Mr. Hicks.
Mr. P. F. Hicks said a driver and driver/steward would accompany the vehicle. Twelve passengers would cover the running costs, calculated at 2s 10 per mile, but the coach could carry 28. The charge would be £5, which he said, compared favourably with the £9 rail return fare.
Mr. A. J. Bowles, road safety officer, North East Lancs, said he was a member of two ski clubs and he would like a scheduled service for week-end trips. He would not take a car for two days because of the danger of skiing while fatigued. Contrary to fears expressed earlier that the coach might not get through, it was his experience that the road was kept open by gritters.
NALGO had two chalets there, accommodating 120 people, said Mr. P. Butterworth, secretary of the Bury branch, and two dozen of his members were interested. Quite a number went abroad and would like this facility for keeping in training.
Smith's Tours (Wigan) Ltd., was one of 14 objectors and Mr. W Blundell, a director, said he was authorized to operate a four-day Scottish tour from Easter to October. He had taken private parties for skiing but a leaflet circulated to agents two years previously had generated no public interest.
The Commissioners reserved their decision until a similar application by Dixons World Wide Travel, St. Helens, had been heard.