Boarding at Traffic Lights : Operators Perturbed
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" TO allow anyone to get on a bus at traffic lights in a busy area would be a shocking disgrace, and such a practice would be unfair to passengers, as well as being dangerous."
Mr. A. B. Findlay, general manager of Leeds Transport Department, made this comment on the ruling of a London magistrate (Mr. Paul Bennett) that a bus conductor has no right to eject a passenger who boards his vehicle at traffic lights (The Commercial Motor, last week), "We cannot take. the decision as authoritative," said Mr. G. H. Margrave, managing director of the West Riding Automobile Co., Ltd. "It is common sense that. fixed stops should be used."
Mr. H. N. Tuff, general manager, West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., said that the practice of picking-up or setting-down passengers at traffic lights was discouraged on the ground of safety alone, adding: "We are not authorized under our road service licence to take up passengers or set them down at traffic lights."
A new aspect on the matter was put forward by Aid, I, Rafferty, chairman of Leeds Transport Committee. Saying that they would stand by the transport staff in refusing to allow people to board vehicles at unauthorized stops, he added that what was worrying him most was that some of the gtaff might leave if they thought the magistrate's view was to be carried out.
Mr. Bennett's ruling came as no surprise to Leicester Transport Committee. Car. S. Bridges, the chairman, said that the committee were aware that they had no legal standing in the matter.
Blyth Road Safety Committee have decided to investigate the possibility of introducing a local by-law making it an offence to board or alight from buses while they are moving or stopped at other than authorized stopping places.
Lord Calverley, president, told a meeting of the West Riding of Yorkshire Accident Prevention Federation that the decision filled him with "alarm and depression." lie expressed . the hope that the Metropolitan Police Commissioner would not let the verdict be accepted as final.
A spokesman of the Public Transport Association told The Commercial Motor this week that they were doing nothing about the ruling.
The London Transport Executive are "examining the matter" and, in the meantime, have instrutted platform staff to carry on as before.