Users Complain : Official Inquiry
Page 47
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putting forward an entirely new principle that there should be a new negotiating body between fare-paying passengers and operators. There was no evidence that the fares were not reasonable. There were general complaints on other points. but they were completely unjustified.
Figures for 1955 showed operating costs of 2s. 10d. per mile and receipts of Is. I Id. For the first six months of 1956 they were 2s. 9d. and 2s.
respectively. Repairs to the vehicles used cost £2,442 in the same period.
Mr. Knight suggested that a reconsideration of the fare would not be out of place. Bearing in mind the vehicles offered, the service could be operated at much less cost.
Cross-examined by Mr. Knight, Mr. C. Owen, director of Turners, said that the change to luxury coaches in the service was a coincidence and not an attempt to put the previous vehicles away for the period of the inquiry_ He was not prepared to give an undertaking to keep coaches on.
Mr. Williamson said they would consider the proposition. A copy of the evidence would be furnished to their technical staff and the result would be communicated to the parties.
FOLLOWING complaints by Leyland Motors works committee, the Amalgamated Engineering Union and the Federation of Shipping and Engineering Unions on behalf of passengers using the work people's services operated by Turners Ideal Tours, Ltd., Chorley, between Horwich and Leyland, the North-Western Traffic Commissioners held an inquiry at Bolton on Tuesday into allegations that fares were too high, vehicles were in poor condition and time keeping was bad.
Mr. A. M. Knight, for the complainants, said that they were not told of proposals to increase fares from Is. 9d. to 2s. 6d. until they came into force on • July 1. The increase was 150 per cent. on the 1945 fare of is.
Passenger witnesses gave evidence that only recently double-deck buses, which were often both unclean and uncomfortable, had been used. The vehicles sometimes refused to start in winter and the passengers had on occasions to get out and push.
The double deckers had been exchanged for coaches, which were satisfactory.
Mr. J. A. Dunkerley, for Turners, submitted that the Commissioners were being invited to create a precedent by