Football Buses Granted to Corporation
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STATED by the chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners to have "very strong claims," Manchester Corporation were last week granted a stage service for return journeys from various points in the city to Maine Road football ground.
At an inquiry last summer, Johnston Bros. (Middleton), Ltd., _submitted that the corporation's practice-of running football specials under the authority of outof-service licences was illegal. They opposed the application for the Middleton and Langley Estate. areas, and applied to increase their own allowance from one to four vehicles for Maine Road and Old Trafford,
Mr. S. E. Shallice, for the corporation, said they had received letters from residents on the Langley Estate who claimed that it was impossible to get to football matches. It was proposed to run regularly. regardless of the demand and the match being played. The .extra services from the estate would not abstract from Johnston's. as they were not of the excursion type.
Several picking-up points on the Johnston licence had not been used, and no figures, witnesses, or lists of people requesting their services had been produced in evidence, yet they were asking for four vehicles. The corporation service, together with Johnston's present allocation, would meet any demand.
Cross-examined by Mr. J. W. Dooley. for Johnston's, Mr. Shalliee agreed that it would be difficult to cope with afternoon matches in mid-week because of rushhour commitments.
Mr. Williamson said the Commissioners were convinced that the corporation services were necessary. Johnston Bros. had produced no evidence of need for floodlit or Saturday afternbon games. Their vehicles would he increased from one to four only for afternoon matches in midweek.
POLICE CONCERNED ABOUT • DESIGN OF LORRY
WHEN a policeman sat in the cab of a lorry which had been involved in a fatal accident, he found that his eye reached ground level 21 ft. in front of the vehicle, and a cyclist 2 yd. ahead could not be seen. This was stated at a Rugby inquest, last week, on a 61-year-old cyclist who was killed in a collision with the lorry in Rugby Market Place.
After giving evidence about the vehicle's blind spots, P.c. Bayliss agreed with Mr. R. H. Facey, for the widow, that that type of vehicle should not be on the road in crowded traffic. The coroner, Dr. H. S. Tibbits, said the police had reported their concern about the design of the lorry to the Licensing Authority. The driver elected not to give evidence.