280 Miles Too Long for Day Tour
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WHEN W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., Falkirk, applied at Edinburgh, last week, for a new one-day coach tour to Fort William from Glasgow, David Maarayne, Ltd., Glasgow, successfully objected to the proposal. They claimed it would seriously affect their summer stage services between Glasgow and Fort William.
For the applicants, Mr. R. Alexander, tours manager, said that although the new tour followed the same route as MacBrayne's service to Fort William, it then proceeded to Dalwhinnie and back through Central Scotland to Glasgow by a route which could not possibly affect them. On Sundays, the most popular day for tours, it was impossible to go to Fort William and back by the existing stage service.
On behalf of MacBraynes it was submitted that if the application were granted it would skim the cream of the traffic from their summer services. There was no real demand, but if an alternative service were provided, people would use it, and the present decline in traffic would be accentuated.
At present, MacBrayne's had a substantial number of unremunerative services. radiating from Fort William and into Inverness-shire, and it was essential that good paying services should be protected.
It had been agreed in 1934 that Alexander's should share only the service between Tyndrum and Glasgow.
Mr. W. S. Quin, chairman of the Scottish Traffic Commissioners, said the application raised the old question of whether the purpose of a tour was its destination, or the route to be followed. This was excessively long for a one-day tour-280 miles in 11 hours—and there was no evidence of public demand.
EXTRA BANK HOLIDAY COACHES GRANTED
DESPITE objections from five roaa operators and British Railways, A. Mayne and Son, Ltd., Manchester, were last week granted additional Bank Holiday journeys on their summer express service from Stalybridgc to Lytham St. Annes and Blackpool.
Mr. Frank Palmer, a.. director of Mayne's said they had received numerous inquiries for outward journeys on the Thursdays preceding Good Friday" and Whit Friday, and inward on Easter and Trinity Mondays. Booking agents had ample evidence of public demand. •
Mr. P. Kershaw, for British Railways, submitted that there were rail services on the days in question. Additional coach facilities would only add to road congestion and abstract traffic from existing services.
Granting the application, Mr. F. Williamson, chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners, said he was satisfied there was a public need.
An unopposed application for an increase in children's fares from half t( two-thirds the adult rate was also granted. c5