Ribble' Successful in Keswick London Application'
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STRONG opposition was expressed by the Railway Executive when Ribble Motor Services. Ltd., applied to the Northern Licensing Authority to operate an all-the-year-round express service from Keswick and Carlisle to the Midlands and London. The service is to be run in conjunction with W. C Standerwick, Ltd.. and Scout Motor Services, Ltd.
Many local authorities in Cumberland and Westmorland supported the application and four sent witnesses to
the hearing. Mr. W. Blackburst. for Ribble. stated that there were 29•people in court prepared-to give evidence.
Mr. Blackhurst explained that the present service between Lancashire and London. via Birmingham, was -subject
to limited duplication. Ribble considered that it would not be convenient to introduce feeders to this service and so sought to superimpose a new Service on the route of an existing one. extended to Keswick.
It was proposed to pick up only as far south as Warrington. Fares Would be £1 fis. Single and 12 3s. 9d. return from Keswick. The new facility would reduce travelling time from 17 hours by existing services to 121 hours. In the recent financial year, 19,182 was taken in bookings for people north of Preston using the existing services, and from April I to November 21 this year the amount was 111.063.
He submitted that the traffic to be carriedby the proposed service was that already being handled, plus some to be created. Mr. F. A. Dickinson, traffic manager of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., said-that in summer. 75 per cent. of the traffic would be holidaymakers from London. Nowadays, there was much winter-holiday traffic.
Mr. J. L. R.. Croft, for the Railway Executive, declared: " This is an exceedingly ambitious application. At the moment, by means of connectional Facilities, the applicants are providing a reasonable summer ' service to the Metropolis and at one fell swoop they propose to convert it into an alt-theyear-round service."
Granting the application, the Authority said that there was no convenient road service from the Lake District to London and the Midlands.
We have given effect to the policy of improving road services to London by granting authority recently to the Western S.M.T. and Cumberland Motor Services to strengthen their services," he said, "and we consider these applications are complementary in respect of the heart of the Lake District."