Public Still Think That a Licence Is Not Necessary
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QOME members of the public still thought that it was not necessary to
obtain a licence before taking fare-paying passengers on a works service, said Mr. W. P. lames, chairman of the West Midland Traffic Commisioners, at Birmingham last week, after being told by a witness that as a free Englishman, he should have the right to ride with whom he liked.
Major Coach Expansion to the Isles
MAJOR expansion of coach operation in the outer islands of Scotland was heralded when the first combined coachsea tours to operate in Scotland were approved by the Scottish Traffic Commissioners at Glasgow last week. They were applied for by David MacBrayne, Ltd., and involved excursions and tours from Glasgow to Stornoway and the Outer Hebrides and to Benbecula, Eriskay and the Uists.
Coaches will travel over normal tourist routes to Oban, Mallaig or Kyle and then be loaded on ships for the sea journey. The MacBrayne organization will put on a new series of short-distance ferries to link the mainland and islands, and replace their present older steamers engaged on longer sea runs.
Other coach companies are expected to seek facilities for combined coach-sea travel in this area.
Another combined excursion sponsored by MacBrayne was approved. This was for a special photographers' outing which British Railways will run to Oban, with coach travel thereafter to Kilmelfort and Dalmally.
AIR LICENSING WOULD ALTER HOLIDAY PATTERN T EGISLATION concerning the licens ing of air traffic might alter the whole pattern of coach-air holidays. This was stated before the North Western Traffic Commissioners at Manchester; last week, when Smith's Tours (Wigan), Ltd„ sought to operate services between Wigan and Birmingham Airport.
The services would run via Warrington, Knutsford and Newcastle under Lyme, said Mr. J. Booth, for Smith's. They were intended for passengers flying from Birmingham to the Continent on the applicants' eightand 15-day tours.
For the railways and two road objectors, Mr. P. Kershaw said that a grant would hit other operators.
Objections by the Ribble group of companies were made. These were on the ground that Smith's would be able to use the whole of their Continental vehicle allowance of 20 coaches for this type of operation.
Mr. Booth replied that existing facilities between Lancashire and Birmingham were not such as people going on Continental holidays should be asked to use.
Decision was deferred until the hearing of a similar application by Happiway Tours (Manchester). Ltd. Mr. James Arthur Smith, Albert Street, Biddulph, applied for licences to run express services for employees only from Biddulph to the works of A. V. Roe, Ltd., Woodford He was opposed by the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., who, it was said, intended making a similar application.
The case was adjourned and Mr. James said that the North Western application would then be heard.
For Mr. Smith, Mr. John Else said that originally a service had been operated by E. J. Bostock and Sons. It was taken over by North Western, who later discontinued it. Mr. Smith, an employee at the works, acquired a coach and began taking fellow-employees to work.
When it was found that he was charging fares, he was prosecuted and fined at Stockport in February. He was now taking passengers to work without charge. Mr. Smith said that he did not carry passengers until the last week of the North Western service.
Supporting the application, Mr. A. H. Ball, Biddulph, said that the fares of North Western were too high.
Mr. John Kendrick, Biddulph, said that if the licence was granted to North Western and not to Mr. Smith, he would
give up his job at Woodford. Crossexamined by Mr. A. C. G. Rothera, for North Western, he said, "In the first place I believe in private enterprise, and in the second place North Western were not very punctual."
Asked Mr. Rothera: " Would you say that this company, providing services all over the north-west, is not an example of private enterprise?"
Mr. Kendrick: "I would say that they are nationalized."
[This is untrue. North Western Road Car is a B.E.T. company.] Another witness, Mr. Alan Godwin, Backmoor, who said that he would not ride with North Western, was asked by Mr. Rothera what his objection was. He replied. "I have no specific objection. but I believe that as an Englishman I am free to ride with whoever I like."
Announcing the adjournment, Mr. W. P. James commented: "It is not for me to justify the legislation. That is a matter for Parliament, but 1 do want to assure the public that in the view of Parliament there are good reasons why the present law should be administered."
SPARE CAPACITY FOR ROADS MIR. MAURICE LAING, the retiring IVI chairman of the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors, said on Monday that the civil engineering industry had enough spare capacity to enable the road programme to be doubled