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Sheffield-to-Coast Application is Adjourned

4th November 1960
Page 50
Page 50, 4th November 1960 — Sheffield-to-Coast Application is Adjourned
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

JOINT applications by Sheffield United Tours, Ltd., and East Midland Motor. Services, Ltd,, to operate express services between Sheffield and Southend and Sheffield and Clacton on Sea were adjourned at Leeds last week by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners. Both services were to be operated from Whitsuntide until the end of September, on Saturdays only, with a vehicle allowance of two a day. Picking-up points were to be at Sheffield, Dronfield, Chesterfield, Bolsover and Shirebrook.

Mr. T. E. Crewe, S.U.T. assistant traffic manager, stated that there was a large public demand for the services. In assessing this they had had the assistance of all their booking agents and Southend Corporation.

The latter had recently organized a publicity campaign which had helped to make the travelling public aware of the attractions the town had to offer.. There were no other through services by rail or road to Clacton or Southend. When travelling by train the passenger had to change •stations in London before catching a connection. Another advantage of coach travel was that each person was guaranteed a seat.

Replying to Mr. H. C. Beaumont, objecting on behalf of British Railways, Mr. Crewe said that the return services would be scheduled to arrive at Sheffield for 11.55 p.m. He did not consider this particularly inconvenient as passengers could then travel home by taxi or the late-night buses.

The publicity venture organized by Southend Corporation had included a mobile cinema, which had visited social clubs and factories. Printed cards had been given to members of the public who had said they were interested in visiting the resort. They had been asked to sign these, then return them by post. This had not been a concerted campaign, merely a test to see what the demand in Sheffield would be.

Mr. Crewe pointed out that they had no intention of linking the two services. He agreed that the train services between Sheffield and London were reasonable but very crowded at peak times. But their real complaint was the change at London, in order to reach Southend for their holidays.

Mr. L. A. Jones, publicity officer of Southend Corporation, said that the resort offered an appeal to the public, and they had been made more aware of this by the recent publicity campaign. There was a steady but modest increase in the number of visitors received, and there were about 500 guest houses in the town.

• He agreed with Mr. Beaumont in that the majority of visitors were day trippers from London, but said that quite a number stayed for one or two weeks. "Yet you have to increase your publicity." countered Mr. Beaumont. "We want to create a demand throughout England, and in 1959 we concentrated on Yorkshire as a source of supply," replied Mr. Jones.


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