Schools Service for Small Operators
Page 44
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THERE was a clash on matters of principle between Hanson's Buses, Ltd.. Huddersfield, and the one-vehicle firm of Star Coaches, Slaithwaite, at Leeds, last week, when both applied to the Yorkshire Licensing Authority for a new school service between Slaithwaite and Cohe Valley High School, Linthwaite. Each objected to the other's application.
Mr. W. R. Hargrave, for Star Coaches, said that before the school opened in January, Hanson's obtained a contract from the education authority to carry children from Slaithwaite who lived more than two miles from the school. His clients, by arrangement with the parents' association, were carrying those inside the limit.
At Easter, the free-travel limit was raised to three miles, bringing the Slaithwaite children inside the limit. Star Coaches then got all the traffic, as the parents considered Hanson's charges too high.
The school secretary paid them by cheque from the parents' association banking account. An enforcement officer had advised that this was irregular, and they were now applying for a licence. Mr. J. Evans, for Hanson's, said that an existing operator was entitled to a monopoly of day-to-day passengers. This was the second largest comprehensive school in the United Kingdom and would eventually take 1,800 children. They had been carried by Hanson's until the opening of the new school diverted them.
Although their application was made in the same terms as Star Coaches, they were able to quote so low only because of integration of their services in the CoInc Valley. With one coach, Star could not cope with increasing traffic or have a margin for breakdowns. Hanson's stopped doing the contract work only when they were undercut. Mr. Evans added.
Mr. Hargrave replied that Hanson's were raising the banner of the " established operator" principle in a manner which bordered on cupidity. This was a special case, and a man who had been doing his best for seven months should not be kicked out, lie was the only one who had produced any evidence of need.
The licensing Authority granted Star Coaches' application and refused that of Hanson's,