NO SMOKING -A SIMPLE CODE
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VrbHIN the past few weeks Mexorough and Swinton Traction Co. have stated that, in response to public opinion, they propose to operate a "no smoking" ban on the lower decks of their double deck, stage carriage vehicles, to take effect on June I.
Mexborough and Swinton's decision to impose a ban was voluntary, but operators can be made to impose such a ban by a condition being placed upon the licences under which their services are authorized by the Traffic Commissioners.
As a result of a successful appeal by the Northern General Transport Company against a decision by the Northern Traffic Commissioners about three years ago, the Minister established that the Commissioners had the power to prohibit smoking in buses, and went on to lay down a code of principles which had to be followed. (These were discussed in a leading article in the April 20 issue of The Commercial Motor.) The matter was taken a stage further by the Northern Traffic Commissioners when United Automobile Services, Darlington, fought a similar, and successful, "battle," They laid down a simple, sound and sensible code to be followed. If any member of the public disagrees with the way a company are operating their vehicles, they should approach the company and ask them to review the position.
If they receive no satisfaction in this direction, they should then go to their local authority, who should—if they consider there is merit in the complaint— approach the operator to discuss •the matter, If this produces no satisfactory result, the local authority should then— and then only—go to the Traffic Commissioners, asking them to act.
But, in view of the Minister's ruling in the Northern General appeal, action would have to be taken in respect of a particular route, to see whether smoking was a question of substantial inconvenience, in a particular case. Action could not be taken against a company, generally, to impose a ban. Each route would have to be the subject of complaint, and evidence would have to be given of complaint on that route.
This code, laid down by the Northern Commissioners, could well be applied in all disputes between the public and an operator regarding stage carriage routes.