Dent's Fined for Licensing Offences
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nENT'S TRANSPORT (SPENN Y MOOR), LTD., of Tudhoe Colliery, Co. Durham, were last week fined £20 at Spennymaor Magistrates Court on each of two charges of using a motor vehicle for the carriage of goods without a carrier's licence. They were also ordered to pay costs of £25 and an advocate's fee of £7 7s.
The firm had pleaded not guilty to five charges of using vehicles without a proper carrier's licence and using uninsured vehicles. Eight of the 10 summonses were dismissed. The magistrates found there was no case to answer in any of the insurance offences.
Mr. B, G. Montgomery, prosecuting, said that on February 25, Dent's Transport had used a vehicle under a temporary substitution licence, whilst the original vehicle was in use on the road.
Defence Upheld The magistrates upheld the defence by Mr. T. H. Campbell Wardlaw, representing the firm, that on February 25 the vehicle in question had been operating under a temporary substitution licence which did not expire until February 28, and dismissed the case. • Dealing with the offences of March 2, 4, 6 and 9, Mr, Montgomery said that the firm had used an articulated unit, substituted for another vehicle, without a temporary substitution licence being issued.
The court found that the prosecution had failed to prove the alleged offences on March 2 and March 6 and ruled that there was no case to answer.
In mitigation, Mr. Campbell Wardlaw said: "There is frequently a lapse of time between the submission of the application form and the issuing of a temporary substitution licence. "The Northern Licensing Authority had placed an embargo on the issue of temporary substitution licences to the firm. Dent's did nbt know of this and continued to use the vehicle in all good faith."
P.M. T. Fares Increases Granted
,THE effect of passenger resistance I came in for close examination at Hanley last week when the West Midland Traffic Commissioners heard an application by the Potteries Motor Traction Co., Ltd., for an increase in fares. At the same sitting similar applications were made by the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., Beresfords Motors, Ltd., Pooles Coachways, Ltd., F. Procter and Son, Ltd., Staniers, Ltd., W. Stonier and Sons. Ltd., S. Turner and Sons, Ltd., T. Beckett, and Miss I. Duggins.
For P.M.T., Mr. S. T. Herington said that whilst the fares they were asking for (they proposed to retain 2d. fares, giving a half-mile stage, and other increases would be on a tapering scale) were estimated to raise additional revenue of £121,000, the company faced increased costsamounting to £138,200.
For North Western, Mr. D. L. Fytche, traffic manager, said that his company was slowly cutting out workmen's fares.
The applications were granted.