First 'provincial' tour of Britain allowed
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• What is believed to be the first tour iround Britain from a provincial town was ;ranted to a Cardiff coach operator by he South Wales Traffic Commissioners in 2ardiff last week.
Prance Coaches Ltd successfully applied 'or a licence to run, four times per year, 15-day tour starting from Cardiff, which vill take in Newquay (Cornwall), Brighton, iouthend, Great Yarmouth, and overnight tays at Darlington, Edinburgh and Black1001.
Appearing for Prance Coaches, Mr R. :raddick said he was presenting an iistorical application. "I believe it is the irst of this kind to be made in any traffic ourt; it could be described as a 'Tour le Prance'," he said.
Objections were received from Western Velsh Omnibus and South Wales Transport. ifr Craddick said he was somewhat urprised at the objectors as they did ot hold licences which were comparable nd he could not see how a tour of this ype would abstract traffic, which was the lain point of their objection.
It was anticipated that the inclusive cost f the tour would be in the region of 80. although it was not possible to say ie exact cost.
Mr Raymond Reginald Prance, managing director, said he was very confident he could run the tour. "I have done a similar tour for private hire and I would be prepared to run this with a minimum number of 25 passengers." he said.
Mr Norman Lloyd Edwards, for the objectors, said there was a fear for the extended tour market and added: "1973 was not an expanding year but a contracting one."
His companies had carried 12,303 passengers on extended tours in 1972 but only 10,988, in 1973. The reason for this was increasing costs and the unique situation at the early part of the year when VAT was introduced.
Granting the licence, the chairman of the South Wales Commissioners, Mr Ronald R. Jackson, said he was satisfied a case had been made. "It was said by the objectors that it would abstract traffic, but no research to the viability of a tour of this nature had been made. Someone, somewhere has to make a start and should be given a chance."
At the same hearing the Western Welsh and South Wales Transport sought to vary their tours and excursions licences to be able to offer three and four-day extended as their longer tours.
These were granted as applied for.