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Blundred's show ready for the road
Page 20
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• Harry Blundred's Docklands minibus challenge to London Buses was boosted last week when Transit Holdings was granted its seven road services licences. These are subject to conditions, but in principle Biundred's Docklands show is on the road.
After a two-day hearing, Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner Air Vice-Marshal Ronald Ashford rejected most of the objections raised by the London boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich rewarding the lack of concessionary fares ("half a loaf (the choice of a minibus) is better than no bread", said Ashford) and the dangers of hail-and-ride in busy traffic ("in principle, hail-and-ride does not offend the public interest".) He accepted that Blundred's fleet of minibuses should not use bus lanes, but said safety fears were "exaggerated".
London Buses did not contest the applications, but Roger Bowker, head of LB's East London Bus and Coach Company, has vowed to fight Blundred every inch of the way. Extra Docklands services are being introduced from Bow garage and several 72-seater Titans are running three new East End routes for LB.