THE RAILWAYS STRUGGLE FOR BLACKPOOL COACHING TRAFFIC
Page 54
Page 55
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Working Arrangements Urged Where Railways Have No Financial Interest THE first applications in respect to ...long-distance services in the Lancashire area have now been heard by the North-western Traffic C.,ommissioners. whose earlier proceedings were reported in last week's issue of Tide Commercial
Lancashire United Transport and Power Co., Ltd., for licences for services to Blackpool from Swinton, Astley, Earlestown, ilillinge, and Heaton Park, Manchester. All were strenuously
opposed the L.M.S. Railway Co. It was urged that the services were necessary to enable people living in thickly populated industrial districts to get to . and from the popular Lancashire seaside resort, but the railway submitted
that the granting of the applications would result in a ten-seconds' bus service in and out of Blackpool, which would produce acute congestion.
The chairman asked Mr. E. H. Edwards, general manager of the appli cant company, whether -he had considered co-ordination with the railways on the lines of interchangeable tickets, to overcome the difficulty mentioned by Mr. Edwards that, owing to congestion,
railway passengers frequently did not get home from Blackpool until a.m. Mr. Edwards said he was surprised at the railway opposition, because the railway could not bring back all the holiday traffic—not, at least, in good time. He had not been approached with regard to co-operation of that kind. It was admitted that the L.M.S. concern had not approached the Lancashire United Co. as to co-ordination, but there had been some overtures on a" major" point.
Dealing with co-ordination, the chairman said the Commissioners were particularly anxious to learn whether, in the absence of financial intereas such as the railways have with the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., and Ribble Motor Services, the railways would be desirous, in the interests of co-ordination, to go into working arrangements without any financial interest.