Bee-Line is successful after 2 years
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• After two and a half years of trying, Bee-Line Roadways Ltd, Teesside coach operator, has been granted permission by the Northern Traffic Commissioners to pick up passengers for coach holidays at points throughout Co Durham. Hitherto passengers have had to make the journey to either Hartlepool or Darlington to join their coaches but, from March next year, when Bee-Line's tour programme commences, the firm will be able to pick them up in Sunderland, Seaham, Easington, Peterlee, Hbrden and Blackhall en route to Hartlepool and in Durham, Spennymoor, Bishop Auckland and Newton-Aycliffe on the Darlington route.
Efforts to have the application granted began in March 1969 when a Sunderland pick up was refused, as was the subsequent appeal. A further application for both routes was made earlier this year but this was also turned down.
Now, with the backing of 40 members of the public who, because of the restrictions, had been compelled to make long journeys, at added expense, Bee-Line had applied once more, this time successfully. Mr Trevor Barker, a director of the company, told the Traffic Commissioners that "it was monstrous that passengers had to travel long distances with their luggage in order to join the coach". In some cases this entailed journeys of two or three hours, both before and after their holidays.
The chairman of the Traffic Commissioners, Mr J. A. T. Hanlon, said they were satisfied on the substantial evidence of the inconvenience to the public and the application was granted.
This is the second time in recent. weeks that Bee-Line has succeeded against earlier decisions of the Traffic Commissioners for, in August, the company received permission to carry inclusive tour holidaymakers from Teesside and Hartlepool to Luton Airport, a concession for which the company had been fighting for two years.