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CIBS urges switch to Continental licences
Page 23
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A SWITCH to European road service licensing is proposed by Britain's leading independent bus and coach operators as an alternative to Transport Minister Norman Fowler's own proposals.
The Confederation of British Road Passenger Transport's Coach and Independent Bus Sector wants existing stage and express services to be covered by regular licences, and for excursions and tours work to he covered by occasional licences.
It proposes that bureaucracy at Traffic Commissioners' offices be reduced by abolishing backing licences where an operator has no originating traffic in the "foreign" traffic area.
CIBS also is keen to have licences extended to last at least five years, if not for life, and it wants the specification of routes and vehicle allowances to be dispensed with for occasional licences.
It wants Commissioners to take a new service's effects upon existing services into account when considering an application.
But it is keen to end British Rail's right of objection to road service applications, as there is no reciprocal right for bus and coach operators to oppose BR's plans.
CIBS chairman Ron Whittle says that the proposals represent a "dramatic change' from the present regulations and believes that they wil permit freer competition.
But he also says that the will minimise the likelihood o "seven-day wonder" services CIBS believes that Mr Fow ler's plans will lead to suet. instability.
All CPT sectors — except National Bus — support CIBS's proposals in their en. tirety.