Licence-holder's Unfair Advantage
Page 38
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T"grant of a new express licence, which allowed passengers to be picked up and set 'down at their. own homes, would give the holder an unfair advantage over other operators and would prevent the Traffic Commissioners exercising control over such operations.
Mr. J. Else, for five Birmingham excursion operators, who objected to an application by Mr. D. G. Boyett, Smethwiek. to operate an 11-seat bus express service from Srnethwick and Birmingham to Palin's holiday camp, Rhyl, made this submission to the .West Midland Traffic Commissioners, at Birmingham, on Monday. Rhyl, from Easter to September. Although there were vacant seats on all dates, except July 23, he admitted that a grant was unlikely to affect them. However, theY regarded it as the "thin end of the wedge."
Mr. Else said that the application followed irregular operation by Boyett in 1958-59. Referring to difficulties which might arise in enforcing the terms of the licence, Mr. Else pointed out that the applicant ahead}, had three caravans, which accommodated 13 people, at Rhyl, • and proposed to purchase two more if the application were granted. The application was to run for 21 weeks, but of the eight witnesses called at the original hearing, on May 19, five were concerned only with the Birmingham holiday week, he observed.
The case referred only to one small vehicle, said Mr. Code. It could not possibly affect British Railways or
B.M.M.O. Able,bodied persons made their own way to the applicant's caravans, but if ,physically • handicapped people were not allowed to pay more than the normal fare for personal service, regimentation was going too far,
Refusing the application, Mr. W. P. James, chairman, said that the Commissioners had seriously considered the question of disabled persons, hut the evidence was not sufficient to justify an express licence.
At the expense of passenger comfort small buses had been granted p.s.v. licences in An attempt to answer the problem of rural 'services. They could not be regarded as the equal of normal buses, however. Advice concerning the circumstances in which Mr. Boyett's vehicle could be used for private parties would be given by enforcement officers.