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Heavy opposition to Kent 'Dial-a-Ride service
Page 44
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• Maidstone taxi boss Denis Freeman faced stiff opposition in his bid to start a minibus service in the town. Lined up against him this week when he made his application to the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners were representatives of two bus companies, and his fellow taxi owners. After a two-day hearing judgment was reserved.
But backing him with expertise — although not with cash — was the Ford Motor Company.
Mr Freeman, owner of Dennis Hire Cars and Dennis Radio Taxis, was applying for permission to start a "Dial-a-Ride" service to the suburban areas of Loose and Cox Heath, to the south of Maidstone.
It would use two Transit-based minibuses and passengers would phone in requests to be picked up at least an hour before their journey.
The charge would be a flat rate of 20p wherever the passenger got on, which compares with the present 10p bus fare to Cox Heath (the farthest point of the service area) and a taxi fare of more than 50p.
Opening the case for the applicant, Mr Norman Cooper said it would be a great help to people who lived on estates and were not served by buses and to elderly or unfit people who could not get to buses and could not afford taxis. "We do not compete with buses," he said, "we augment their service in a way they cannot do themselves and we cost much more than a bus. We do not compete with taxis because we do not give the same personal service. It would be a great pity if this intriguing enterprise were to be stifled as a result of objections from competitors which are purely economic".
Mr Freeman told the Commissioners: "I do not see this service will have any marked effect on existing bus service. The people I envisage using it are those who do not use taxis because they are too expensive and do not use the bus service because it is impracticable."
Opposition to the plan comes from Maidstone and District Motor Services Ltd and Maidstone Corporation Transport, who have together briefed Mr John Main to represent them, and from Maidstone taxi owners.
Mr Stewart, Maidstone and District assistant traffic manager, said he was concerned about the effect of the "Dial-a-ride" service on his company's revenue.
"It will cause a very dangerous situation," he said, "in so far as even a small loss of passengers could result in the service beginning to lose money.
In those circumstances the company would have to ask for a subsidy from the local authority. It this was not forthcoming it could mean the cancellation of some services, leaving outlying villages without a public transport service.