Why Football Coaches Were Banned
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ABAN was put on about half the fleet of more than 60 coaches in which Colchester United supporters hoped to travel to Blackpool for last week's cup tie. The reason for the Eastern Licensing Authority's action was, however, not connected with football coaches as such. It was the result of warnings last December as to economy in the use of fuel, and represented the imposition of stricter measures after failure to effect voluntary savings in dead mileage.
On February 3 the Authority issued a statement to the effect that unless prior sanction had been obtained (i.e., in exceptional cases), no private-party journey involving empty running in excess of 25 miles on the return journey would be authorized.
In Yorkshire, Major F. S. Eastwood, the Licensing Authority, has referred to reports that applications for longdistance trips to football matches have been refused. He says that only three excursions have been refused, and these were to places about 200 miles from the starting point. In all cases, alternative facilities were available.
Complaints received by the North.A26 Western Licensing Authority that intending passengers on excursions and tours had been unable to obtain facilities for journeys to Huddersfield were the subject of comment by Mr. W. E. Macve, chairman, in Manchester, last week.
He said that if operators holding such licences did not provide the authorized services, they apparently did Rot need the powers that had been given them. Private parties of Manchester United Football Club supporters were, it was stated, being carried at a charge of 5s. per head, as compared with the approved fare of 3s. 9d. under excursions and tours licences.
The operator concerned said that all his vehicles were taken for private parties and he had had none left to work to Huddersfield on Saturday under his excursions and tours licence. The distance belween Manchester centre and Huddersfield centre is approximately 26 miles, A "Daily Telegraph " report that a Ministry of Transport official has stated, " The Ministry will withdraw licences it we find that proprietors are bleeding the public in this way," is denied.
In the House of Commons last week, Mr. A. Barnes, Minister of Transport, said that he would consider the possibility of allocating extra coal -to the railways for excursion trains to sports events. Recently, however, he said that the railways must give priority to goods traffic,