Trial area expansion row
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HEREFORD and Worcestershire County Council has asked Transport Secretary Nicholas Ridley to extend the trial area in Worcestershire to include the district of Wychavon, together with parts of the Malvern Hills and the district of Leominster.
The County has asked Mr Ridley for a decision to allow the trial area to be effective from July 1.
The local coach operators' association, which represents 15 operators running around 370 vehicles, is firmly opposed to the trial area, which it feels will encourage operators out to "make a fast buck."
Most of the operator members of the South Worcestershire Association run stage services to some extent and point to the decline of maintenance standards of some new operators established to take advantage of the existing trial area. Together with the major operator in the area, Midland Red (West), the operators have sent details of their misgivings to Mr Ridley.