Commuter buses out in the cold
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KETTERING commuters may now be able to take advantage of a daily coach 'excursion' to London, but those living nearer the Capital are proving very disinterest ed in the efforts of coach operators to gain licences for commuter services.
Operators who already hold licences which allow an unres tricted number of excursion departures per year to London, could find themselves sitting on a very useful asset. This is the case, at least until the licence comes up for renewal at three yearly periods, when sharp-eyed objectors have the opportunity to make their views heard.
The Kettering/London excursion, run by Shelton-Ors born, is timed to arrive at Midland Road, adjacent to St Pancras station at around 9am, and depart again at 6pm with a journey time of two and a quarter hours.
The return coach fare is fixed at £1.40, compared to the £8.70 ordinary return rail fare.
The Shelton-Orsborn. licence allows up to six coaches to be
used daily, but in the first week of operation general manager M. Bryan told CM that one "reasonably full" 53-seat coach had been used.
The company has been planning the service for two years to make sure it is absolutely legal.
Lack of public support for commuter coach schemes now seems to be worrying small operators, more than opposition in the traffic courts from British Rail and the National Bus Company.
Last week, three operators from the North of London were due to come before the Metro politan Traffic Commissioners, but withdrew early in the week because of a lack of witnesses prepared to support the applications.
Contractus, of Stevenage, and Parkinsons Coaches of Welwyn had co-operated in preparing their cases for the court hearing, but although a
year ago they had 100 witnesses prepared to appear in court, these had all disappeared by the time the case came to be heard.
The time lag before a court case can be scheduled, always has an adverse effect on public opinion. Although both Contractus and Parkinsons were supported by their local newspapers, the public reaction to the newspaper stories was Last week Peter Blatcniey, owner of Contractus, told CM would love to be in court at this moment, fighting on behalf of the people of Stevenage.
He feels bitter at the lack of support. "I feel the public have let me down — I was prepared to research and present a case in court, but they haven't supported me.'
He feels that the initial_ public support for commuter coaches could well have only been a move to force British Rail to keep prices down.
Tnis week Mr Biatcniey is hoping that more coverage of his plans in the local press will regenerate firm public support for his proposals to run a 50 minute service to York Way, near Kings Cross rail station, so he can apply once again for a licence.
Finding a terminal in Central London is not difficult, as the police will generally give permission for coaches to set down and pick up passengers, so long as no waiting is involved The only service that has been running is operated from Bletchely to London by Tricento Coaches. But this service — run on an existing excursion licence — is handicapped by running only to a terminal in the Harrow Road, and not right into central London.
Even this terminal is rather dubious, as it is not clearly defined in the licence and the renewal of the excursion licence is drawing objections.
Although most coach operators seek, principally to woo commuters away from the railways rather than from cars, the tightening up of car parking in London may well add more potential customers from South of London.
This week, restricted opening hours and much higher parking charges nave been imposed by the GLC on privately owned car parks on the South Bank.
All these car parks will now be closed from 8am to 10am or 1 larn, and a day's parking will cost in the region of E 1 .20.
Coach operators from south of me river will be unable to benefit from this as there are at present no hearings in the pipeline.
In an effort to whip up passenger support, Gastonia Coaches of Cranleigh. Surrey, had planned to operate a
service from Ewhu-rst to London for two moths only, on their existing 40 excursions a year licence.
This too had to be postponed, because the Traffic Commissioners drew attention to the legality of running free feeder services from Guildford, to connect with the commuter coach starting from Ewhurst.
Small independent operators interested in running commuter services are to stand on their own to absorb the high costs of bringing a case to court; sometimes well over £1,000.
The operators' trade associations are sceptical of the success of these plans.
Annougn tne National Bus Company and its subsidiaries invariably oppose applications on their territory, the NBC itself has no plans to enter the commuter business.
As NBC services do not compete with the services proposed by independents, few seem very worried by this threat in court cases.
British Rail is always likely to be the principal objector.