A SECOND attempt by National Travel to obtain permission to
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operate daily express coach services between the. east coast of Yorkshire and London met strong opposition before the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners sitting in Scarborough last week.
National Travel (North East) Ltd was seeking to operate from Scarborough to London with picking-up and setting-down points at Filey, Bridlington, Driffi el d, York,, Selby, Doncaster, Luton, Luton airport and Watford. The application was opposed by British Rail, Wallace Arnold Tours Ltd, and Norfolk Motor Services Ltd.
If the application was granted, licences for weekend services from the Yorkshire coast to London would be surrendered and the York to Doncaster section of the present Felling to London service would no longer be operated, thus speeding up that particular service.
Applications by National for a daily service first came before the Commissioners in April but were later with drawn because National wished to alter the proposed route (CM April 16).
Mr W. J. King, commercial manager of National Travel (North East), said ever since the weekend services had, commenced operation in 1974 there had been a demand for a daily facility and in particular a mid-week facility.
The proposed new pickingup point at Selby was withdrawn after the Commis-, sioners refused to allow evidence given by public witnesses from Selby at the April hearing to be introduced. They upheld an objector's submission that circumstances had changed since April and the objectors ought to have an opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses.
For Briitish Rail, Mr John Bossomworth said when the weekend services were first granted, the then Traffic Commissioners had held that although there would be a minimal abstraction from the Rail services from two departures per week a daily service would mean considerable abstraction. The introduction of the York and Doncaster points would mean in effect unlimited duplication on the National Services from those towns.
Mr Don Jordan, licensing officer of Wallace Arnold, said their objection was based on National's refusal to put a condition on the licence which would prevent its use for the offer of packaged,holi day facilities. The Commissioners adjourned the hearing until a date to be fixed.