Redferns win Mansfield direct tours
Page 22
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
REDFERNS Coaches (Forest Town) Ltd have won their battle with National Travel over the introduction of a programme of British extended tours from the Mansfield area.
The company had applied to operate sevento eight-day long tours to Ilfracombe, Newquay, Torquay, Westonsuper-Mare and Aberfeldy, between March and October; and threeto eight-day tours to Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight, throughout the year.
It was proposed to pick up passengers at Edwinstowe, Clipstone, Forest ToWn, Mansfield Woodhouse, Mansfield and Sutton-in Ashfield.
During the hearing, Redferns criticised National's feeder service arrangements, claiming that passengers preferred to travel direct to their destination. National argued that the proposals would lead to a loss of some of the substantial carryings the company had from the area. The operation of feeder services enabled a much wider programme to be offered than otherwise would be the case.
In a written decision, granting most of the proposals, the East Midland Traffic Commissioners said the weight of the evidence showed that a substantial number of retired people wanted direct holiday facilities, without the necessity of changing coaches, and that they required a less expensive holiday than those provided by National.
They commented that there was no evidence for any demand for tours of less than seven days or for a tour to Aberfeldy. They said that it was necessary for the Commissioners to balance the need for the expensive operations providing a wide selection, offered by National, with the undoubted desirability of services operating directly from a local area to holiday resorts without the need for a change of coach. Such services were particularly desirable in the case of elderly or disabled people.
In this case, they felt such a balance could be maintained by restricting the vehicle allowance, the number of operations and the period of operation.
Consequently, they granted the application, with the deletion of the Aberfeldy tour, on condition that the duration of the tours be seven or eight days; that the vehicle allowance on any one day be restricted to two and the number of tours operated in any one year not exceed 15, and that the period of operation be from Easter until the end of October.