"Commissioners' Assumption Wrong"
Page 37
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THE assumption by the West Midland Traffic Commissioners that a circle with a four-mile radius of Oakengates was within the catchment area of Salopia Saloon Coaches, Ltd., Whitchurch, was wrong. Mr. K. Mynett, representing the Shropshire Omnibus Association, told a Ministry of Transport inspector this at Birmingham, on Tuesday, when S.O.A. appealed against a decision by the Commissioners.
Salopia had been granted a licence for express services from Donnington to Shrewsbury and Whitchurch to act as feeders for extended tours. At the same time the Commissioners had refused an application by S.O.A. for extended tours from Oakengatei.
There was no dispute over whether extended-tour facilities were required, said Mr. Mynett. The point at issue was whether the local operators should provide the facilities, either solely or in conjunction with Salopia, or whether the local operators should be excluded.
It was a matter of considerable importance, he added, and told the inspector that every operator in the area, with the exception of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., was appealing against the decision. Only 3 per cent. of Salopia's extendedtour passengers came from the Oakengates district, he pointed out.
Mr. Mynett declared that the Commissioners were also wrong when they paid only the slightest attention to the fact that S.O.A. had provided all publictransport facilities in the area for many years. They were wrong, too, in suggesting that feeder services by Salopia were as satisfactory as the Association's proposals. • For Salopia. Mr. E. S. Fay, Q.C., claimed that the decision should stand in the public interest. lust because an operator was experienced in day and half-day excursions. it did not necessarily follow that he was fitted to run extended holiday tours, he added.
Mr. Fay reminded the inspector that the original application by S.O.A. was for an eight-mile radius.. It had been reduced to four miles. Within the wider radius the percentage of passengers using Salopia tours was 4.2. In the smaller area it was 3.1 per cent. With the high cost of operating extended tours, it was essential that an operator should have a wide catchment area, he contended.