Coach Operator's "Wild Allegations"
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THE owner of two coach companies was warned at Blackpool, last Friday. against making " wild allegations" about one of his competitors. He was Mr. Clifford Owen, who controls Progress Motors (Charley), Ltd., and Turner's Ideal Tours, Ltd„ Chorley.
Mr. ,H. Backhouse told him that a serious view was taken of his allegations about two concerns owned by Mr. Thomas Jackson—W. Simm and Sons, Ltd., and Tom Jackson (Chorley), Ltd. The clash came when Mr. Owen and Mr. Jackson both applied for additional tours and increased vehicle allowances.
They were opposed by Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., Lancashire United Transport, Ltd., and British Railways.
Cross-examined by Mr. Backhouse, for Simm's, Mr. Owen agreed that in the past tvvo years his vehicles were not fully employed on a number of occasions. However, he denied that he had asked for the additions only because Simm's had put in an application.
Mr. Owen admitted that his tours to Dumfries and the English Lakes, and Silloth and the Solway Firth were granted last year after a similar application by Simm's. He alsri agreed that the previous a4 year he was refused tours to Filey, Redcar and Saltburn, but he denied that all these destinations were originally planned by Simm's and that the work would be uneconomic if split.
Answering the chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners, Mr. F. Williamson, Mr. Owen contended that if Simm's operated according to their licence there would be plenty of traffic for all, Here he was rebuked by Mr. Backhouse, who said Simm's had always operated within the terms of their licence, even though they had advertised on many more occasions than they actually ran.
Mr. Backhouse added that although Progress and Turner's had eight coaches, only five were suitable for excursions, yet their best vehicles were engaged every year in taking private parties to Torquay, Bournemouth or Great Yarmouth on the first Saturday in July. In ,adclitimi, three 41sseaters were contracted out to Yelloway.Motor Services, Ltd., so smaller vehicles had to be hired for their own excursions. Mr. Owen had said be could not hire any More vehicles, so it was, difficult to see how he was going to obtain the 12 additions he was seeking for July.
The hearing was adjoin-tied.