Opinions and Queries
Page 53
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No Reward for Enterprise
A S a coach operator, I am always interested in the results of appeals, especially as I appealed against the refusal of the Eastern Licensing Authority to grant a renewal of my licence for an express service from Sandy and Bedford to .Bournemouth. Your report Of the decision (" The Commercial Motor," March 28) interests me greatly.
First, I notice you use the phrase "stop-gap service." This phrase was not used at the public hearing in .April, 1951, when the licence was granted, but was ,uttered by the solicitor for the Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., at the hearing of my application for licence renewal. He suggested the idea to the present Licensing Authority because my licence was issued for only One year, namely, 1951.
Secondly, I would like to point out that the feeder service for which Eastern National applied, and which you said could not have been granted in time, was applied for only three days before the hearing of my application in 1951. It was sought only to prevent me from obtaining a licence for the route concerned. This fact was openly admitted in the court by the area superintendent of Eastern National.
In view of these facts, is that company the rightful holder of ,the licence? . had continually protested that there was no need for this facility, but after I had spent pounds on proving the need and had carried over 1,000 passengers on this service (although it was late April before it started and most other forms of express services had completed their bookings), I had it taken am!), from me, and Eastern National was allowed to substitute a feeder service, for my direct one. Is this not an example of the old, old story, and a poor example of the encouragement of private enterprise ? G. A. BAXTER. Morgerhanger.
SUCCESSFUL RESULTS WITH SOLED TYRES I WAS very interested to read Mr. F. R. Cope's letter, published in your issue dated March 14, and concerning costs and mileages in respect of retreaded tyres. The fleet under my control hai used the Tyresoles method of tyre reconditioning since 1938, and I can assure Mr. Cope thatthe mileages obtained from casings so treated have, on average, compared favourably with those achieved by new tyres. .
There is no question at all -that the use of this service by my company over "the past years has proved an economic proposition, and hai.been instrumental in considerably reducing' the tyre costs Qf the fleet, London, N.W.10. R. HASTINGS, M.I.R.T.E., Transport Engineer.
FACTORS RELATING TO ACCIDENTS his otherwise interesting letter published in your I issue dated March 21, W. Morris makes a statement so lacking in logic-that it should not be allowed to pass unchallenged. He states that an accident was caused by a car driver failing to stop at a halt sign. Surely, although it is 'logical that while a 'car, is stationary no harm can be cauied by it, it is the subsequent caution with which the drivei proceeds into the-intersection that decides whether or not a danierouS situation is created. Furthermore, once a vehicle resumes forward motion, the fact that it may not have halted becomes irrelevant, I would suggest that poor rnudguarding, which results in a fine spray forming upon the screens of following vehicles; the attention of drivers momentarily .diverted from the road, and the fact that a large percentage of vehicles is driven at night without their off-side lamps alight, are all factors which are contributing to a large number of accidents.
Attention by the authorities to the cleanliness of rear number plates might ,make for fewer hit-and-run culprits escaping recognition.
Coulsdon, Surrey. E. G. BOUTLE.
PURCHASE TAX PREVENTS SAFETY ' MEASURE IN the process of milk distribution we have a large I proportion of accidents which are due to reversing.
As a result of these we decided that all our motor vans would be safer if windows were fitted in the sides: This was done solely for the reason that the drives could have a better view when manceuvring their vehicles, We were immediately pounced on by the Customs and Excise, who point out that the fitting of windows renders each vehicle subject to purchase' tax. We have therefore removed the windows, What a pity that our attempt at promoting safety 'Should meet with such a welcome ! • Leicester. H. F.' %um.. Director, (For Kirby and West, Ltd.) HOPPER-TYPE VENTILATORS' ADVANTAGES FURTHER to theletters from C. E. S. Lane (February I 15) and C. S. Dunbar (March 14) concerning obstructions to vision through the front windows of double-deck buses, I have always found, as a passenger, that the hopper-type 'ventilator fitted during the war on nearly all makes of Ministry of Supply-style body and subsequently adopted by Eastern Coach Works, Ltd., as the standard for all Tilling vehicles, has many advantages.
Not only is the horizontal rail between the fixed and opening glasses sufficiently high to be above the line of vision of a seated passenger, but also the incoming stream of air is deflected along the inside of the roof above the passengers' heads, whereas the conventional half-drop front window lets through an objectionable draught straight into one's face.
, Another restriction to forward vision, even worse than wide corner pillars or the half-drop intermediate rail, is the passenger who sits in the front seat holding up a large newspaper. This is beyond the control of the body designer, but might be cured by a notice similar to the "Smokers Are Requested to Occupy Rear Seats" which some operators already display in their vehicles.
London, W.5. C. GILLHANI.
• The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial vehicles. Letters for publication should include the writer's name and address as a,guarantee of good faith, but a nom de plume will be publishedif requested. The right of abbrev
iation iation is reserved.