is. 6d. Fare for 250 Miles
Page 61
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
1—NESPITE the increases applied for, LI the applicant's weekly contract fare between Middlewich and Winnington would still be only 6s. 6d., compared with the 9s. 2d. fare of the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd. Although the service was not abstracting traffic, the company felt bound to make representations, because odious comparisons had been made, Mr. John Green told the North Western Traffic Commissioners at Manchester last week.
He was objecting to an application by Messrs. H. Coppenhall, Sandbach, to increase fares on their express services. It was granted.
Mr. J. Whittingham, for thd applicants, said that on a Sandbach marketday circular service two journeys, involving 26 miles, carried a fare of Is. 3d. return. Coppenhall's were now asking for Is. 6d. The Wheelcock • Winnington service of about 15 miles each way, to which North Western were objecting, had a weekly fare of 7s. 6d., and the proposed fare was 9s.
There had been no fare increases since before the war. Even if the application were granted, they would be running at a loss.
Mr. Whittingham said that on their Brercton schoolchildren's circular service, involving two trips totalling 50 miles a day, the five-day weekly contract fare was Is. 6d. By agreement with the Parent-Teacher Association, they wanted to raise this to 2s.
Mr. F. Williamson, chairman, said he was astounded to find such a fare for a distance of 250 miles. He could not understand why there was no abstraction from the North Western service on the Middlewich-Winnington route.
Mr. Green explained that both services were to the works at Winnington, but at different times. North. Western carried day-shift workers and Coppenhall carried clerical staff. North Western's fare was 1.32d. per mile; even with the increase, the applicant's charge was only 0.93d. per mile, he said.
Told that the business was a partnership between Mr. Coppenhall and his wife, Mr. Williamson pointed out that the licences were held by Mr. Coppenhall and the position should be rectified. As Matters stood at present, he was hiring his vehicles to the partnership without a permit.