Authority "Scratched Round for Justification"
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AN allegation that the Metropolitan Licensing Authority had had to " scratch round to find assumptions to put into his observations to justify the grant of increased facilities to Valliant Direct Coaches, Ltd., on their EatingPaignton express service was made by Mr. R. C. Oswald, for the British Transport Commission, when they appealed against the decision, in London, last week.
Mr. Oswald said the licence was granted in February, 1953. The original application was to run eight vehicles a day from the Friday before Whitsun until September 30, The period, and the permitted number of vehicles, were cut down to week-ends. Since then, there had been a number of variations which increased the facilities originally permitted.
The appeal was against a decision to increase the number of vehicles still further. What had now been asked for was an additional vehicle on the night departure from Ealing on the last two Fridays in July and on all Fridays in August; night departures from Paignton on the last two Saturdays in July and all Saturdays in August; and an additional vehicle on the day departures from Ealing and on the return from Paignton on the last two Saturdays in July and all Saturdays in August.
Mr. Oswald said that according to the figures of passengers using the service, there had been some occasions when the full quota of vehicles allowed had not been used.
There were gaps in the claim for full loading, and he submitted that. although they were not large, they indicated no great pressure. The whole of the present ease had been based on the evidence of booking agents, he added.
The railway provided a number of trains in Paignton throughout the year and were, therefore, entitled to the maximum protection for those services, unless it could be proved that they were unsuitable.
Mr. F. Thomsett, for the respondents, said that criticism had been made that Valliant had not called any member of the general public to give evidence. " Yet the first time we made application, we produced general public witnesses and the objectors said, Why bring the general public along?'
"This time we calledthe booking agents, who are in close contact with the public. We did that because previously the objectors had said, 'Why haven't you called the booking agents 7 Referring to vacant seats which had been mentioned by Mr. Oswald, he said that in some instances the vacancies worked out at less than one passenger per vehicle.
The coach fare to Paignton was £2 4s., compared with the railway fare of £3 2s. 10d. They had produced evidence that some people, if they could not go by coach, would not travel at all.
Mr. Thomsett said there was one significant thing about which nothing had been said: that the Royal Blue coach company, who had three pickingup points in the Valliant area had not objected to the application.
GLASGOW DEFERS REPAYMENT: BIG LOSSES?
I T has been decided by Glasgow Transport Committee not to pay thiy year an instalment of E150,000 towards the repayment of the temporary loan of film. which was obtained some years ago to cover accumulated deficits.
This decision is taken to be a pointer to the state of the transport department's finances, and it is expected that the figures for the financial year which ended on May 31 will reveal a large deficit.
At the beginning of this year, it was estimated , that if revenue were not increased there would be a final deficit of 165,600. Fares were raised in March, but they were not in operation long enough to have much effect on the position at May 31.