■ To more lub crawls?
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Derek Moses The coach day-trip to the seaside which s with a "pub crawl" on the journey le will end soon—indeed, so far as some ch operators are concerned it has already ed. This is just one of the many effects ch the new drivers' hours regulations have on the general public. Other obvious Lsures include higher costs for privateoutings of any sort, not to mention the cast increase in rates for schools and ks contracts.
klthough the regulations have been in 3 only one month, a distinct pattern is .nning to emerge already, particularly ng small, independent operators. Picking e undertakings at random, Burwell and rict Motor Services, Cambridge, is ming the use of part-time drivers during mer weekends; Whippet Coaches Ltd, on, Huntingdon, is making party organs sign a form to guarantee that day-trips not exceed 13 hours' duration; while way Services, South Petherton, Someris considering withdrawing two Saturs-only evening journeys to comply with regulations.
he new philosophy which the public have to accept was clear when I called ee Mr H. G. Mansfield, general manager 3urwell and District. "We will have to he public when their trips can run instead teir telling us", he said. Long trips were icularly affected, he added, and some neys would have to be double-manned. company would try and cut them out ;ether. With big wage demands coinciding with reduced hours for drivers, rates for contract and private-hire work would obviously rise, and school contract services (employing six vehicles working-in these services with other stage duties) had already been subject to a steep increase.
Also concerned about the time that private party day excursions should return was Mr A. T. Lee, one of three brothers who run the Huntingdon-based undertaking of Whippet Coaches, Hilton. Mr Lee showed me forms that he had prepared for party organizers to sign guaranteeing that trips would be back within 13 hours. This allowed drivers half-an-hour for clocking on and oft; and also, a margin of safety in case of traffic delay. And, of course, this is making use of one of the concessions in the regulations— the 14-hour spreadover followed by an interval of 12 hours' rest before the next day's duty.
As the company's form states, it is a matter of out at 8 a.m. and home by 9 p.m., or out at 9 a.m. but home by 10 p.m. This effectively puts to an end the pub-crawl which so often occurs on the return trip made by a private party. Mr Lee also complained about rising costs. Fares on the company's three stage services had already been raised.
Arising from the new regulations, four summer express services to the coast, operated with one driver last year, will have to be double-manned in the coming season—all for the sake of one hour's driving.
• Papers to be presented at the Public Road Transport Association annual conference in Scarborough in June will be by Mr. K. C. Turner, chairman of the Road Transport Industry Training Board (June 3), and Mr. R. Bailey, general manager of Lancashire United Transport Ltd. (June 4).