Rehabilitation Took Too Long •
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" IN no other case in the North I-. western Area has any operator, because of war difficulties, taken so long to rehabilitate himself. The latitude given the applieant has stretched into longitude."
Mr. F. W. Williamson, chairman of the North Western Licensing Authority. said this, last week, when he renewed an excursion and tour 'licence held by the Dragon Motor Engineering Co., Ltd., Old Trafford, but reduced the vehicle allowance from four to two.. The 'licence expires on Novernber 30 next year, when its renewal will be considered.
Mr. H. Backhouse, for the applicants,' said their premises were damaged in 1941. Compensation troubles and the death of the former owner delayed resumption of the business. The original hearing in March was adjourned to give them the chance to rehabilitate them• selveg.
On August 3 his clients bought an A.E.C., Regal 33-seat coach, purporting to have been made in 1946. It was discovered that, although the bodyworkwas built in 1946, the chassis dated back to 193-1. After much difficulty, thecompany got their money back, but were left without a coach and had to
resort to day-to-day hiring. .
From July to September, they carried nearly 500passengers. In the circumstances, it was not a fair trial, for hire coaches could he obtained only at offpeak periods. He asked the Authority not to interfere with the vehicle allowance until his clients had had a full season's working: They proposed to buy a coach this winter, .
Mr. J. Green, for the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., who objected,. said there was no evidence to justify four' vehicles remaining on the licence. No excursions and tours had been run since 1941 and, during that period, the applicants did not own a vehicle.
The chairman commented that if the company did not obtain their own vehicles they must apply for a permit to hire.. It was wrong, when they had not a public service vehicle licence, to hire without permission.