Monopoly bid
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LEYLAND was accused by counsel in the High Court on Monday of trying to gain a "monopoly" in spare parts for its buses.
Alastair Wilson, counsel for Avon Transmissions Services, of Wakefield, told Mr Justice Warner that Leyland was claiming copyright in a number of spares which would enable it to monopolise the market.
For many years, Avon Transmissions had been in the business of reconditioning Leyland gearboxes. Avon began making its own spares in 1978, he said.
Avon now claimed about 90 per cent of the spares market and, in a pending action, Leyland was alleging that the Avon parts infringed its copyright.
Avon had replied to the action by issuing an application to strike out Leyland's claim on the grounds that the claim was "in a mess" and that it was an "abuse" of Leyland's dominant position under European law.
The judge adjourned the Avon application and gave Avon seven days to file a defence to the BL copyright action.