Ribble Seek Links With Scout
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DROPOSALS by the North Western
Traffic Commissioners to add conditions which would ban the linking of catchment areas and destinations on the licences of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., and Scout Motor Services, Ltd., were considered at Blackpool on Tuesday. Both companies agreed that there should be a limit to linking, but asked that they should be allowed to continue with the linking of their Preston catchment areas.
For Ribble, Mr. F. D. Walker said that they wanted to use the Scout's picking-up points in the Preston area, provided that permission was given. They wanted common picking-up points for both companies. The linking of these areas would reduce the number of vehicles used. The movement of traffic in urban areas was so intense that it was not in the public interest to use more vehicles than necessary.
Mr. G. Dawes, a Ribble traffic assistant, said that there had been no interchange between Ribble and Scout in the past, except with regard to the jointly operated Preston Blackpool service. More co-ordination would be a good thing.
A director of Scout Motor Services, Mr. J. C. Watkinson, said that his company wanted to use, with permission, all the Ribble picking-up points. They wanted more co-ordination with Ribble because linking would mean easier and more economic running.
With regard to the linking of destinations, Mr. F. Williamson, chairman, said operators approached them in different ways. Some considered that they were allowed to link and others did not. However, if the linking of destinations continued, in time there would become a series of express services in place of excursions.
If the public facilities in an area were adequate, linking was not necessary. The el2 Commissioners were authorized only to grant licences to separate destinations.
Mr. J. Bull, for Scout, pointed out that linking was often done in the public interest. Mr. Williamson replied that if an operator did not run the service for which he was authorized, and linked instead, he was depriving the public of the original authorized service.
The case is to be continued.
HIGH COURT JUDGE ADJOURNS U.T.A. APPEAL
WHEN the Ulster Transport Authority appealed against a fares decision by the Northern Ireland Transport Tribunal in the Ulster High Court, Mr. Justice M'Veigh adjourned the case, last week, because he attached great importance to it.
In July, Rathcoole Tenants' Association had successfully applied to the Tribunal for certain reductions in local bus fares, and it was against these that the U.T.A. took High Court action.
For the Authority, Mr. C. A. Nicholson, Q.C., spoke of "grave consequences" if the Tribunal's rulings were upheld. The entire fares structure of the U.T.A. would be upset.
Mr. Justice M'Veigh stated that the assistance of the Attorney-General might be necessary, and advised the association to be legally represented. The hearing was adjourned sine die.
LARGE TYRES ON LAND-ROVER I OW-PRESSURE tractor tyres have i•-■ been fitted to a Land-Rover by.the National Forestry Commission to improve the vehicle's performance when crossing deep trenches. Special Kirkstall axles with limited-slip differentials and a reduction ratio of 13 to 1 are incorporated.
The experimental vehicle is a fire appliance carrying about one ton of equipment. It is able to cross trenches 3 ft. deep.
"Tailor-made" Service Refused
AN application by P. J. Card and Co., Devizes, to operate a bus service to Tewsey and Burbidge was refused by the Western Traffic Commissioners at Bristol on Tuesday. A representative of the Hinchley Engineering Co., Devizes, supporting the application, said that they wanted a " tailor-made" service for their employees, and that the stage service operated by the Wilts and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd., did not meet their exact requirements.
The workers, he said, were so anxious to have an alternative service that they were willing to pay 6s. a week towards the cost, in addition to the subsidy paid by the company.
For Wilts and Dorset, Mr. T. D. Corpe said that the company had not asked for a subsidy from the engineering company. He contended that the service had operated satisfactorily for the past six years.
A similar application made by Fursland and Co., Bridgwater, to operate a service to a War Department factory at Norton Camp, Somerset, was also refused. The Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., opposing, said that services in the area were already operating at a loss.
Giving the decision, Mr. S. W. Nelson, chairman, said there was no question of the stage service, operated by Western National along the route, not being adequate.
MANCHESTER CLEARING HOUSE STARTS
1-1 A CLEARING house owned by 130
shareholders, all members of the Road Haulage Association in the northwest, started work in Manchester on Monday. The members have formed Road Hauliers (Manchester), Ltd., and operate from John Street, Droylesden.
A spokesman of the new company told The Commercial Motor on Tuesday that they had had a quiet first day, but that was because shareholders had only just been advised that operations had started. He added that they hoped to link up with a similar group in the south-west, working from Exeter and Plymouth.
I.O.T.A. PAPERS
AMONG papers to be read at centre meetings of the Institute of Traffic Administration are the following: "Mechanical handling in transport," by Brig. R. G. Winton, at Southampton Civic Centre, on November 3, and "Materials handling in transport," by K. H. Ward, at Caxton Hall, London, S.W.', on December 2.
DRIVERS SLEEP ON LORRY FERRY
LORRIES are now using the night .1-1 ferry operated by British Railways between Dover and Dunkirk. Vehicles are loaded at the ports by the use of heavy drawbridges while drivers sleep in special cabins. Loaded lorries are also being carried on the daytime ferries between the two ports.
'.V.O.A. to Press for 40 m.p.h. Limit
PIE Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association emphatically disagreed the Minister of Transport in the Government in not implementing 40 m.p.h. limit for passengerides, said Mr. F. J. Speight, chair), at the association's annual dinner 3Iackpool on Monday.
y did not accept the present situand the new Minister would be ig from the P.V.O.A., the Public port Association, and the Municipal lger Transport Association. All rned knew that coaches could and avel at 40 m.p.h.
concession on Excise licences was cient, and the P.V.O.A. would con to press for a reduction in the fuel Mr. Speight said the P.V.O.A., as entatives of private enterprise, were o see that for five years they would a Government that was not ited in nationalization.
F. Williams, chairman of the Western Traffic Commissioners, hat Blackpool " made " the motor . During the illuminations, the had had as many as 4,000 coaches e night. This was probably more n any other equivalent area in the ry.
'SING OPERATORS BOTH GET GRANTS 3 rural onerators clashed before the Jestern Traffic Commissioners, at uth last week, on the question of and excursions from Hathcrleigh. laimed that his existence depended them and the other said that a grant abstract from his stage-carriage :ss.
resented by his wife, Mr. N. C. Northlew, applied for licences to to Exeter, Exmouth, Plymouth, in and Blackpool. It was claimed apart from school contracts, his :ss depended mainly on tours and Ions. Only a minor part of Mr. income came from stage services. king to operate tours to some of the places, Okeridge Motor Services, ented by Mr. F. M. Elvin, a direclaimed that a grant to Mr. Born abstract traffic from their stage )s, which represented 90 per cent. ir business.
ing decision, the chairman, Mr. Nelson, said that it was essentially I area and the Commissioners must make life easier for those who here. A licence was granted to both ants and it was suggested that they 1 make arrangements not to clash.
3MPULSORY WINDING-UP order for the compulsory inding-up of Scarisbrick Conrs and Haulage Co., Ltd., Dale Liverpool, was made by Mr. Roxburgh in the Chancery on on Monday. Judgment was on the petition of the Cornners of Inland Revenue who were )rs for £6,143 unpaid tax.