Railways to Fight Cheap Fares
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rE decision of the Minister at Transport, on appeal, not to allow cheap coach fares on special occasions, such as football matches, has quickly led to a new phase of railway opposition. At a sitting of the North-Western Traffic Commissioners, last week, Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., sought a scheduled Saturday service from Bolton to Blackpool, via St. Anne's, for the cheap fares allowed on practically every service to Blackpool during the illuminations period.
Mr. H. Bottomley (for the applicant company) stressed the anomaly caused by all the other services from Bolton being able to give passengers special rates for the illuminations.
The Commissioners adjourned the hearing of this part of the application and acceded to the suggestion of Mr. B. de H. Pereira (for the L.M.S. Railway Co.), that, in view of special fares on such services being in conflict with the decision of the Minister, the whole subject should be discussed at a special sitting.
Mr. Pereira stated that no distinction could be drawn between passengers to the illuminations and a football match ; the latter was the occasion relevant to the case decided on appeal. There would be railway opposition to the concession of all such cheap fares.
A big fight by excursion and tour operators for reduced fares to football matches and other special events was commenced at a sitting of the NorthWestern Commissioners in Manchester, on Monday. One of the inducements offered to the Commissioners for the concession was a time limit for the
B40 return, which would .ensure that such excursions served no purpose but the function or event.
Mr. H. Eackhouse (C.M.U.A. solicitor) based his main arguments on the application of Mr. J. A. Ferrington (North Manchester Services), Biackley, Manchester, who asked for 3d. reduction in fares for Manchester City and Manchester United Football Club excursions and reductions in charges for excursions to football matches at St. Helens, Leeds,I Keighley, Bradford, Rarnsley and Sheffield. In the lastnamed instance, a drop from 6s. to 3s. 6c1. was sought.
Mr. 13ackhouse urged that these trips provided a public facility which could not be said to be afforded by the railways or the regular bus services. The operators would far rather have the destinations specified on their licences and not be driven to do this business under Section 25 of the 1934 Act, which defined a contract party.
Objections by the railways, Manchester Corporation, Lance United Transport Co., Sheffield joint Omnibus Committee, North-Western Road Car Co., Ltd., and Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., were chiefly with regard to their fear of the abstraction of traffic.
Mr. W. Chamberlain, chairman, asked what use was it to fix footballexcursion fares when any operator who did not like them could carry private parties at a lower figure.
Mr. Backhouse replied that there was no control of private-party business, and this was an attempt by C.M.U.A. members to put their house in order.
Decisions were deferred.