Fowler gives green light to private bus
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WEST MIDLANDS PTE's appeal against a decision by the West Midlands Traffic Commissioners to grant a road service licence to a private operator for a works bus service in the Tipton and Dudley area has been rejected by Transport Minister Norman Fowler.
The bus, run by Hoidens Coaches, was a result of dissatisfaction by BSR workers with the local bus services to their factories.
Commenting on the decision Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Kenneth Clarke said, "There are many circumstances where separately licensed works services can provide a useful public service without serious damage to other stage services and, on the evidence, this is one of them.
"The strong preference expressed by customers for the Holdens service in this case is not outweighed by other considerations. In the near future cases of this kind will be affected by changes in the law."
Hoidens Coaches were originally granted a provisional road service licence in February 1978 and a full licence the following May. WMPTE successfully appealed to former Transport Minister William Rodgers on the grounds that the Holdens service abstracted from the PTE service. The Hoidens service was withdrawn in February 1979. Hoidens reapplied and were granted a further short-term licence in March 1979. The PTE again appealed, but admitted its existing service could no longer cope.
It proposed to add an extra bus, twice daily, on its existing services which would be diverted past the factories.
The extra services would run at a loss, but the PTE claimed there would be operational advantages in the long term.