Minister Upholds Coach Link with B.E.A.
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A SUBSIDIZED coach service linking the West Riding with Ringway Airport, Manchester, has been approved by the Minister of Transport. Wallace Arnold (Tours), Ltd., will connect the air terminal with Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Stockport, following the rejection of appeals by British Railways and a large number of road service operators. Any loss on Wallace Arnold's service will be met by British European Airways, who will also stipulate on what days coaches will be needed.
The licence was granted by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, with a backing for Stockport by the North Western Commissioners, but their decision was challenged by the Northern Pool of bus companies, Northern General Transport Co,, Ltd., North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., and Lancashire United Transport, Ltd., besides British Railways (The Commercial Motor, September 20, 1957).
After hearing their arguments, Sir Hugh Dow advised the Minister to reject the objections. He said the Commissioners had rightly exercised their discretion in .giving the licence to a newcomer instead of to existing operators, who appeared " lukewarm " about making any special arrangement to meet the needs of air passengers.
Wallace Arnold had not disputed that it was to be a pilot service, so there might he applications for additional timings in the future. This was the point which had alarmed the road service operators, who thought that increased frequencies would seriously affect their income. They believed that if a service of this nature was necessary, they should provide it rather than a newcomer.
Sir Hugh agreed with British Railways, who claimed • that there was inaccuracy or incompleteness in some figures submitted by Wallace Arnold. These purported to show that because of difficulties in reaching the airport, the percentage of air..book.ings from the West Riding was much less than from Manchester, taking into account the respective populations.
However, it was important to bear in mind that existing road services did not enable passengers to reach the airport in time to catch early flights: If it was desirable that air travel should expand, the Commissioners were justified in granting a licence for the new service, but they should give careful consideration to whether future applications would create serious abstraction of traffic from existing operators.
1500,000 DEAL BY HENLYS
ASUM of about £500,000 is involved in an agreement by Henlys, Ltd., to acquire the share capital of R. Cripps and Co., Rootes Group main dealers for Nottingham and district. R. Cripps and Co. also have extensive interests in the constructional equipment and agricultural equipment businesses.
LP.C. CONFERENCE FIXED fruE Institute of Public Cleansing are to hold their annual conference and demonstration of vehicles at Morecambe from Junk 10-13.