"Councils Have No Precedence:" Struggle for Estate Traffic
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1-1"HERE is nothing in the law to sug gest that local authorities have precedence over other passenger operators in providing services in their own areas.
Mr. N. R. Fox-Andrews, Q.C., made this submission last week, when Mr. 1. M. Glen, Ministry of Transport inspector, heard appeals by Nottingham Corporation, West Bridgford Urban District Council, South Notts Bus Co., Ltd.. and Barton Transport, Ltd., against decisions of the East Midland Licensing Authority regarding services to Clifton housing estate.
The Authority had decided to allow the municipalities to provide '75% of the services to the estate and the two companies to operate 25%, with certain protective fares for existing company services. Mr. P. B. Showan, for Nottingham ,Corporation, said that the licence of the South Notts concern should be revoked, as it would "sow the seeds of a bus war."
Exclusive Right Claimed
The corporation, said Mr. Showan, felt that they had the exclusive right to run the new Clifton services. They appealed against the limitation of municipally operated services, the extent of company facilities and the impositiOn of protective conditions. With a feW unimportant exceptions, the corporation provided all the internal passenger transport in the city. Their position was seriously threatened by the decision to license other operators' to run internal services.
This would have been justified, he continued, were att existing operator to suffer financial loss as the result of the corporation running new services, or if it had been proved that the corporation failed to provide adequate facilities.
" The South Notts Bus Company's stage-carriage services have in no measure contributed towards the development of the estate, or towards the accretion of passenger traffic in the area in question. The company has no connection with the city of Nottingham. It has no offices or garages in Nottingham and pays no rates in Nottingham," r. Showan declared.
Mr. A. G. Mansfield, for West Bridg
ford, asked for a ruling that the difference in fares between those of the local authority and those of the companies was not in the public interest. Fares on the West Bridgford buses were about Id. higher than those on the private buses passing through Clifton.
He said that an agreement had been reached between the council and Nottingham Corporation, after.an indication in this respect had been made by the Authority. The council did not pursue their application, but relied on that of the corporation.
"No Such Principle"
Mr. Fox-Andrews, for the companies, said that Mr. Showan had claimed a monopoly for the municipal operators and had said that the case was a test. No such principle existed. The local authorities had asked for exclusive rights to provide services to the estate without regard to the harm that would be caused to the private concerns.
The question whether the private companies ran at a profit rested upon the provision of services to Clifton, stated Mr. Fox-Andrews. The South Notts Bus Co., Ltd., and Barton Transport, Ltd., sought protection against the joint municipal service in respect of the prohibition of setting-down and picking up between two points. If this were introduced neither concern would insist upon differentiations in fares.
Mr. Mansfield, replying, contended that it was not unreasonable for the local authorities to ask that the extended services..be run by them alone. Benefits would accrue to the private Companies.
Mr. Showan submitted that the companies were making an "enormous claim" to run a proportion of the estates' internal services, and contested statements that the South Notts Bus Co., Ltd., faced, ruin if the Authority's decision were revoked.
FIRST JOINT SERVICE THE first joint service to be run by Liverpool Transport Department and Crosville Motor Services, Ltd., will start on Monday. It will serve a circular route and hourly departures in each direction will be made from Huyton station.