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Maidstone Dial-a-ride goes ahead
Page 48
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• The go-ahead has been given to Mr Dennis Freeman to run a "Dial-a-ride" minibus service in Maidstone by the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners in spite of strong opposition from Maidstone and District Motor Services Ltd, Maidstone Corporation Transport and local taxi owners.
The decision to allow the service was contained in a written judgment following an earlier two day hearing (CM April 14) at which it was stated that two minibuses would be used with passengers phoning requests to be picked up at least one hour before their journey. A flat rate of 20p was proposed and it was also said that technical backing although not financial — was being provided by the Ford Motor Company. In granting the application, the Commissioners stated that •they considered abstraction from existing bus services would be minimal and they did not agree with the objectors that in the proposed service area no one was more than a quarter of a mile from adequate bus services. It had been stated that there were routes in the service area not suitable for the conventional large bus and the distances to the existing bus stops would, in the view of the Commissioners, be more than a quarter of a mile in some cases.
Referring to the objection of the Maidstone Taxi Proprietors Association, the Commissioners noted that the applicant, Mr Freeman, was himself the principal taxi operator in Maidstone. The Commissioners stated that they were inclined to agree with Mr Freeman that those who used taxis in Maidstone were not cost-conscious in seeking the personal service so provided.
The Commissioners stated the service proposed would supplement the existing transport services and it was in the public interest that it should be provided.
The grant is to be for a period of one year and includes several conditions, which include a definition of area of operation, that children between the ages of three and 14 be charged half the adult rate, that only prebooked passengers should be carried and that all the parties maintain records of their operations and costs so that they can be produced in evidence when the time for renewal occurs. In addition, the advice of the police must be accepted by the operator where it is considered that it is not safe to operate a public transport service of the nature proposed. This also applies to one specific picking up point in the vicinity of the Royal Star Hotel and a setting down point in Fairmeadow.