"Serious View" of Charges Taken by Commissioners
Page 58
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ASERIES of summonses against Silver Star Motor Services, Ltd., Porton, near Salisbury, was heard by Salisbury County Magistrates last week. The company were accused of contravening the conditions of licences granted for the carriage of Servicemen on week-end leaves from Salisbury Plain to the Midlands and the north.
Mr. G. Leopold Lush, prosecuting, said the Western Traffic Commissioners took a serious view of the matter, particularly as they had gone to some trouble to work out the licence conditions.
Silver Star pleaded not guilty to picking up passengers at Middle Wallop for journeys to Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne without getting agreement from Wilts and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd. They admitted using a bus with the exits and gangways not kept c22 clear and carrying too many passengers on the vehicle.
Mr. Lush said that when the licence was issued certain conditions were laid down. One was that Silver Star should not pick up at Little Wallop except by arrangement with Wilts and Dorset, and another was that people should not be picked up there within two hours of a Wilts and Dorset bus calling.
Mr. S. R. Wickham, a Ministry of Transport examiner, explained the licence conditions and said the company were allowed to run a feeder service from Middle Wallop to Tidworth, connecting with the main service, but this must not be done to defeat the conditions of the licence.
After hearing evidence from soldiers, Mr. P. E. G. Mather, for Silver Star, submitted that the only case to answer was one concerning a Serviceman who was carried to Manchester. The magistrates agreed and fined the company £15, dismissing three similar summonses.
On the overloading charge, Mr. Lush said 49 men were found in a 41-seater, and they were blocking the exit and gangway. The company were fined a total of £10 on the two summonses. Three other summonses—two in respect of unauthorized picking-up and one concerning the operation of three coaches instead of two on a journey—were adjourned because prosecution witnesses were absent.
The company were ordered to pay £3 3s, advocate's fee and £3 14s. 2d. costs. One of their drivers was fined a total of £6 10s. for aiding and abetting in the overloading case and failing to display his driver's badge conspicuously.