End of Bournemouth Day Trips ?
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OPERATORS running excursions and tours and express services to Bournemouth are unanimous in condemning the proposals of Bournemouth Corporation to modify the existing coach parking arrangements and to require vehicles to proceed to a new park on the Boscombc side of the town. The proposals arc described by one operator as "the end of day trips from London to Bournemouth."
The proposed parking -place is in King's Park, about 2+ miles from Bournemouth Pier and from the present parking place in Avenue Road,' which is only a few minutes' walk from the sea front and from the centre of Bournemouth. The new routes suggested for operators entering and leaving the town are also rather circuitous, and, according to an official of the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association, the whole plan will create wasteful and uneconomic running.
Since 1949 the P.V.O.A. has been resisting attempts by Bournemouth Corporation to remove coaches from the main part of the town to the outskirts. It intends to pursue its objections, considering the new site to be impracticable, inconvenient and unsuitable. Miss P. E. Jennings, secretary and manager of Bourne and Balmer, Ltd., Croydon, the only operator of express services from Croydon to Bournemouth, told "The Commercial Motor," on Tuesday, that the new site was out of the question for the company. " People will simply not go for the day," said Miss Jennings, "if they have to leave the coach 2; miles from their destination." On day return journeys from Croydon passengers have about 21 hours at the resort.
Inadequate Amenities One of the objections to the King's Park site is that there are inadequate facilities for the large numbers of passengers arriving. Sometimes up to 1,000 people arrive at one time, and the site provides no amenities in the way of shelter, toilet accommodation, telephones or refreshment rooms. In the peak season between 100 and 300 vehicles a day arrive in Bournemouth, bringing 3,000-5,000 passengers to the resort.
Local hotel and restaurant proprietors are said to be against the plan, which is in opposition to the corporation's policy of attracting custom to the resort by publicity and advertising.