IMPORTANT HAPPENINGS OF THE WEEK
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Minister's Powers to be Tested.
THE Lanarkshire Traction Co., Ltd., is reported as proposing to challenge the Minister of Transport's action in confirming the decision of the Southern Scotland Traffic Commissioners restricting. the company's service. The Minister has upheld the Commissioners in their decision that all buses operated by the Lanarkshire Traction Co., Ltd., on the Hamilton-Cambushmg-Glasgow route must terminate at Carlton Place, Glasgow, instead of Pitt Street.
The company contends that the only powers possessed by the Minister are those vested in him under the Road Traffic Act, and that these do not give him authority to restrict its service, which is authorized by old-standing Parliamentary Orders.
Municipal Support for Small Owner.
THE transport committee of Heanor
Urban District Council has decided to support an application to the Traffic Commissioners by Mrs. Lydia Saxton, for permission to run a service from Heanor to Ilkeston, via Smalley.
Scottish Bus Company Absorbed.
IT is understood that the Gala Motor Transport Co. has been absorbed by Messrs. Stewart and MacDonald, of Carluke. The Gala concern has for some years maintained services from Lanark to West Calder and Biggar, and to Douglas and Muirkirk.
Chester to Oppose Appeal.
THE circumstances in which the application made by Creams (Lancashire), Ltd., for permission to operate between Rochdale and Llandudno, had been withdrawn were mentioned at a nieeting of Chester Watch Committee. When a substituted application was made, Chester deputy town clerk made a statement on behalf of the corporation.
The company has notified Chester of its intention to appeal to the Minister of Transport against the decision of the Traffic Commissioners in attaching conditions to the licence granted. The watch committee decided to oppose the appeal.
M. of T. and Coach-stand Problem.
FOLLOWING the refusal of the
Ministry of Transport to confirm a draft Order in connection with the establishment of stands for public-service vehicles on the Promenade and Sefton Road, Morecambe, a deputation from the local coach owners' association met the watch committee of Morecambe Corporation.
The association wished the watch committee to appoint a sub-committee
to confer with the organization, with a view to making further representations. to the Ministry of Transport, or, alternatively, to find a site to accommodate vehicles to the satisfaction of' the association. It was stated that the association had for some time been searching for a suitable site, but bad not met with, success.
In view of the attitude of the Ministry of Transport, however, the watch committee came to the conclusion that nothing more could be done.
Fourfold Appeal Against Commissioners' Decisions.
ON April 13th, the Ministry of Trans port will hold an inquiry at Mancheater into the appeals by Salford Corporation, Bury Corporation, Sharp's Motor Services and Orr's Motor Ser.viees against decision of the North Western Traffic Commissioners. Prestwich Urban District Council has engaged counsel to watch ratepayers' interests.
Good Progress with Birmingham Bus Station.
STEADY progress is beingimade with the construbtion of the new large.public service vehicle station in Sheepcote
Street, Birmingham. Waiting rooms and a buffet are to be incorporated, and it is hoped that, by next year, a licensed hotel with 60 bedrooms will be numbered amongst the adjuncts. It is expected that the station will be ready for service by Whitsun.
Devon Concerns Object to Tours from Liverpool.
WHEN the Western Traffic Commis sioners sat at Exeter, recently, the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co., Ltd., and Fleet Cars, Ltd., objected to an application by Land Cruises, Ltd., of,Liverpool, for a backingtfor a licence for excursions and tours_ from headquarters. Land Cruises, Ltd., arranges sight-seeing tours.
It was explained that there are four companies in Torquay owning 85 vehicles licensed for operation in the summer, but even in the height of the season all the coaches are not at work. Moreover, the roads are so difficult that the vehicles of local operators are said to require special gear ratios, and arrangements have had to be made amongst the proprietors for using different routes, by reason of the large number of coaches crossing the moors.
The chairman of the Commissioners decided to communicate with the North Westeru Traffic Commissioners to ascertain the position, the decision being deferred. Busmen Oppose Commissioners' Ruling.
A COMMITTEE of the Ashington
Ratepayers Association was recently met by representatives of the employees at the Ashington depot of the United Automobile Services, Ltd., to obtain the association's support in a protest against the Northern Traffic Commissioners' refusal to allow the company to extend its North Blyth-Ashington service to Lynemouth, via the new Woodhorn Road. Feeling amongst the men has been aggravated by the fact that another service over the route has been licensed. It was contended that the employment of the men was jeopardized.
• More Buses for Trams.
ON Monday of last week buses re
placed trains on the Thornhill and Bradford Road routes of the Yorkshire (W.D.) Electric Tramways, Ltd., a fleet of new vehicles being put into service.
New Coach Station for Chettenhain.
A COACH station is to be erected in
St. Margaret's Road, Cheltenham, by Black and White Motorways, Ltd. The plans have already been approved by the town planning committee of Cheltenham Corporation.
Municipal Licences Granted.
IT was revealed at a meeting of the
transport committee of Barrow-inFurness Corporation that the authority had obtained all the licences applied for at a sitting of the Traffic Commissioners at Stockton-on-Tees.
The Commissioners, at a hearing at Kendal, adjourned the applications of Mr. E. Hadwin and the Grante Motor and Cycle Co., Ltd., to the granting of which the corporation had objected.
Objection on Ground of Congestion.
THE Glossop authority is formally objecting to a licence application by an Oldham operator in respect of services from Glossop to certain seaside resorts. The chief constable of Glossop thought that the services might cause local traffic congestion.
Ribble v. Morecambe on Protection.
IT was alleged at a recent meeting of
the transport committee of Morecambe Corporation that, when plying for hire within Morecambe and Heysham, Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., was not complying with the conditions imposed by the North-Western Traffic Commissioners for the protection of the municipal transport undertaking. Ribble Motor Service's, Ltd., disagreed with the interpretation put upon the conditions by Morecambe Corporation. The company has lodged appeals with the Minister of Transport againSt the refusal of the Commissioners to sanction its application to extend its routes so as to make use of the forecourt of the promenade railway station, and against the conditions imposed by the corporation in permitting the company to institute a service along Oxcliffe Road.
According to the town clerk of Morecambe, Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., would be unable to appeal to the Minister without the consent of the corporation, as the period within which objections might be lodged bad elapsed.
Protection for S.M.T. Ayr Services.
THE Southern Scotland Traffic Com missioners have decided to allow protection for the services operated by the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., in place of the tramways previously worked by Ayr Corporation. Competitive companies must charge a fare at least 1d. snore than that of the S.M.T. concern.
Morecambe and Standard Conditions.
IT was stated at a meeting of the watch committee of Morecambe Corporation that the Traffic Commissioners had decided that it Was no longer necessary for the corporation to continue to submit formal objections to operators seeking to run into the town, as the Commissioners had standardized the conditions, which would now be attached to licences for all such services. Plans for Co-ordination at York. THE question of co-ordinating the transport services in York has been discussed by representatives. of York Corporation and the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd. The transport committee recommended that the negotiations with the company should continue.
At a meeting held on Monday of last week, a special committee of five members was appointed by York City Council to consider the whole matter of the transport undertaking's finances, the committee having authority to call in • expert advice, if necessary. The transport committee's recommendation that negotiations should be continued was rejected.
Plans for Another Bus Station.
A scHEncE is being prepared for the
erection of a motorbus station at Skipton, which is the centre of a number of important passenger services to Lancashire and Yorkshire towns.
£7,000 Coach Park at Ramsgate.
RAMSGATE is following the lead given by many towns in providing accommodation for coaches off the highway, and a park is being built at that resort at a cost of about £7,150.
Discussion on Bus-station Charges.
THERE has been discussion between Morecambe Corporation, Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., and Pennine Motor Services, Ltd., upon the rates prescribed by the council for the use of the bus station. The Ribble Co. has suggested that the matter should be submitted to an arbitrator appointed by the Minister of Transport, whilst the latter concern has approved the proPosal that the subject be determined by the Traffic Commissioners.
The matter has been left to the town clerk to take such steps as he may deem advisable.
Railwaymen Prefer Coaches.
THE London Midland and Sottish Railway Co. objected to part of an application by Messrs. Samuel Jackson and Sons, at a sitting of the Northwestern Commissioners, last week, for licences to run excursions and tours from Crewe to about 60 destinations. Mr. Jackson said, in evidence, that most of his passengers were railway employees.
Midlands Bus Fusion.
IT is announced that the services from Wellingborough to Earls Barton operated by Mr. J. C. Abram have been absorbed by the United Counties Omnibus and Road Transport Co., Ltd.
Commercial Travellers Want Buses, THE United Commercial Travellers' Association has requested Chester Corporation to provide a bus service from Saltney to Chester railway station, between 8 a.m. and 9.80 a.m. It was said that considerable inconvenience and delay were experienced through having to change vehicles on the route.
Arrangements for .a half-hourly .service are to be included in the new scheme for the co-ordination of services between Cliveden Road and the station.