Get-you-home service for hotel customers
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ABEAT-THE-DRINK-TEST plan for the travelling public was the basis of a stage carriage licence granted on a short-term basis by the South Wales Traffic Conunissioners sitting in Cardiff last Friday.
R. I. Davies and Son Ltd., Tredegar, applied for a licence to run special trips from the Castle Hotel, Tredegar, to points in the Tredegar and Rhymney Urban District after closing time in the evenings to cater for customers who do not wish to use their cars since the introduction of the breath test.
In supporting the application, the licensee, Mr. Angus Donaldson, said he had received many requests for such a service inthe Mow mouthshire areas where the closing time of licensed premises was 11 p.m. He proposed to assist patrons of the Castle Hotel who no longer wishes to use their cars. He would take complete charge of arranging with Mr. Davies when a bus was required which would operate when requested by the licensee when 20 or more passengers required the service. "I want to make no financial gain as far as the licence is concerned," said Mr. Donaldson.
The application was opposed by Hill's Tredegar Ltd., and Red and White Services Western Welsh Omnibus Co. Ltd.
Mr. R. Cradick, for Mr. R. I. Davies, stated it was not the first time that Mr. Davies had proposed a new idea for travelling passengers and to improve the service for the public. Mr. Cradick said that on several occasions Mr. Donaldson himself had taken customers home—not because they were unfit to drive but because they had not brought their own transport and bad weather conditions made it unpleasant for them to walk home.
Mr. Cradick went on that it was proposed that at some time during the evening the licensee would ask his patrons in the bar how many were interested in going home by this special express carriage service. It was proposed to charge at a rate of 2s 6dper head. If sufficient people required the service the hotel would then make arrangements with the bus company.
"It is not intended to run this service 'willy-nilly' as and where required by passengers. It would operate on a specific route and let passengers off at recognized points," said Mr. Cradick. The bus would not leave the Castle Hotel before 11.15 p.m. at the earliest—a time later than any stage carriage service operated by the objectors.
The objectors to the application claimed there was ample space on existing stagecarriage services and if the licence was granted would result in wasteful competition.
Granting the application the chairman of the Traffic Commissioners, Mr. R. R. Jackson, said he could see a certain amount of merit in the application. Granting a shortterm licence for three months, Mr. Jackson said, "I believe it is worth giving it a try."