INOTHER 1980 Transport Act appeal may be needed to clarify
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a rew boundary of "the public interest", after the North Western 'raft Commissioners refused to allow Crosville to withdraw its iunday services around Wrexham (CM, October 9).
In a reserved decision, the :ommissioners say that in April :rosville objected to an applicaion by Wrights of Wrexham to iperate a circular service from :hester on Cefn Mawr (CM April 4) on the "public interest" irounds that the loss of revenue o Crosville's existing services vould lead to the withdrawal of he Sunday services. The cornnissioners granted that applicaion.
Crosville accepted that in priniple the withdrawal of services aaving the public without public ransport was against the public iterest, but argued that in the ompany's present financial cirumstances the withdrawal of hese services would be less unavourable to the public than other courses that might be adopted.
The Commissioners concluded by saying that if Cros villa wished to withdraw the services, it should apply for new licences to operate from Monday to Saturday and notify the Commissioners of its intentions of surrendering the existing licences when the new licences were issued.
The Commissioners could not prevent an operator surrender ing a licence and under the 1980 Act they were required to grant an application unless satisfied it. would be against the public interest.
Unless the grant of a new licence would prevent another operator from providing a better service over the same route, the Commissioners were unlikely to find grounds for refusing the application.
The Commissioners have also granted an application by Wrights which was opposed by Crosville and Cheshire County Council, for a retimed and faster circular service. The Commissioners said Wrights wanted to make savings which would allow it to maintain a competitive position on fares with Crosville.
The projected loss of revenue to Crosville was not such that any consequentional reduction in services could be identified.
Therefore, the commissioners were satisfied that the proposals by Wrights were not against the public interest.