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Independents agree revised timetable
Page 23
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r HE ROW is over between independent stage-carriage 3perators and Potteries Motor Traction Co Ltd. The two parties were at loggerheads over PMT's plans for stage-carriage revisions following a market analysis project survey (CM,June 14).
Agreement was reached this
week with Berresfords Vlotors Ltd and W. Stonier and 3ons Ltd on the second day of he public sitting concerning the .evisions of routes in the Haney, Leek, Cheadle, Longton Ind Uttoxeter areas.
Objections from two other ndependents — Stevensons of Uttoxeter Ltd and Bassetts :oachworks Ltd — have been
• esolved out of court after -neetings with PMT
The most contentious revi;ion was the proposal in conlection with a route between -lanley and Leek on which PMT, 3erresfords Motors, and F. roctor and Sons Ltd all )perated. Staffordshire County Council has suggested that the route in its revised form should be operated entirely by Proctors, but the existing operators failed to agree and all three applied for the revised service in exactly the same terms.
PMT indicated that it did not mind who operated, provided operation was in accordance with the new timetable. It was accepted by all parties that there were too many buses on the route and the Council maintained that there was only sufficient revenue for one operator.
For Berresfords, it was suggested that PMT was seeking to reduce costs at the expense of the other operators. Robin Orbell, PMT's assistant traffic manager, did not accept that PMT's financial position would be improved if it handed over more mileage to the independents who had lower operating costs.
James Berresford, a director of Berresfords and Stoniers, said his company had been operating on the route since 1919. It was profitable as far as it was concerned, and the loss of that revenue would cause considerable disruption to the com pany's business as the service was interlinked with another stage service, as well as to works and colliery services.
The proposals would reduce Berresford's stage mileage from 455,000 to 168,000 in a year, and if it did not get a share of the revised service the company would reconsider the viability of operating any stage carriage services.
Chairman of the West Midland Traffic Commissioners Arthur Crabtree said that was a decision many operators might have to take when the new Transport Act came into force.
Consultations followed a decision by Berresfords to withdraw its application which would then leave it open to operate under its existing licence.
It was agreed that the revised service be shared by Proctors and Berresfords based on the revenue each presently receives, the situation to be monitored by the County Council.
That assurance, plus an agreement that Berresfords should have additional journeys on a service between Longton and Western Coyney, led to its acceptance of the rest of the proposals.