S INCE some of the motor-coach proprietors in south-west Lancashire have
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been running special tours at 3s. 6d. to Blackpool to see the, wonderful night illuminations, there has been
a marked increase in late-season traffic. The low rate has, however, created some disturbance not only in railway circles, but also amongst motor-coach owners. The ordinary, general motor-coach fare is 5s. or as., according to the locality in which bookings are made, and these are the recognized rates of the dailyservice companies. The latter have, therefore, had to consider whether they would allow these minima to be undercut and discredited, or go out to meet the new competition in order to preserve their principal activity.
What some .companies are doing is quoting 5s. for the service-coach journey and 3s. 6d. for subsequent coaches.
• ,` It is not a profitable rate," said the traffic manager of a well-known Lancashire company to our representative. "Our policy is to _work to a uniform economic rate, but when we see 'signs of our normal traffic being diverted to the vehicles of opportunist operators steps must be taken to arrest the potential loss, even at the expense of operat. ing costs. The journey is 96 miles. The ordinary fare of 5s. is little enough. Now we have come down to 3s. 6d., in line with other owners."
Another development took place on Wednesday of last week. For the first time since the war the railway companies have inaugurated 3s. 6d, excursions from Manchester and Liverpool to Blackpool. This is an obvious hit at the motor-coach companies. The ordinary cheap rail excursion is 5s. 9d., but special 5s excursions have been run. ,1 The services of the Editor and staff 1 r--------
1 of "The Commercial Motor" are i i willingly and freely placed at the 1 1 disposal of readers who may wish I 1 for advice upon legal, operative
1 ' or technical matters related to ; mechanical road transport. Each ' case should be set out briefly and : clearly. B41