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Decisions Reserved on Midland Red and Viking Express Licences
Page 53
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AT a two-day joint public sitting of :he East Midland and West Midland Traffic Commissioners at Burton-uponTrent last week, decisions on applications by -Midland Red and Viking Motors (Burton) Ltd. were reserved.
Midland Red applied to run a daily express service between Burton and London. The Commissioners had already heard a similar application from Viking last December. Each company objected to the other's application and British Railways objected to both. Also objecting to the Midland Red application were V and M Coaches Ltd., E. Hanford Ltd. and Wainfleet Motor Service Ltd.
Mr. E. S. Fay, for Midland Red, said that coach passengers, like other road users, were entitled to benefit from the enormous capital expenditure on motorways. Midland Red had pioneered motorway coach services, he said, and developed special coaches for use on the motorways.
Witnesses ror Midland Red gave evidence of need for the proposed service, and one woman said it was time that Burton was "put on the map ".
For British Railways, Mr. A. H. .Hicklin, freight and passenger officer, Nottingham, said that 95 per cent of rail passengers from Burton to London went by way of Derby. There were 16 trains a day from Burton to London, with 11 having an overall journey time the equivalent of, or better than, the 3 hr. 20 min. service proposed by the coach companies.
Mr. A. J. F. Wrottesley, also for the railways, said their own position with regard to local services was not an easy , one and he hoped that the general public would realize that B.R. did not reduce or withdraw services without very careful consideration. He submitted that the rail services were just as good as the proposed coach services and that the fare was reasonable.
For V and M Coaches and Hanford, Mr. D. E. Skelling said the .companies were doing their best to protect their own interests and only wanted to feel that their direct services to the south and east coasts would not be prejudiced by the applications.
Mr. J. C. Perks, for Viking Motors, said that the company was the only one at present which carried passengers from Burton to London, and also from 'south Derbyshire to London. It had operated its licence to the fullest extent and had worked up the demand. If the express service were granted to anyone else but Viking it would cause grave damage to the company's existing excursion and tours SeriiiCe. Also, Viking was the first to put in its application, added Mr. Perks.