Luxury for some
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I WAS interested in the article "Top people take luxury coaches(CM, April 6) which described the design of luxury coaches. It made me wonder what improvements have been made by coach operators during the past 25 years, not for the privileged executive or celebrity, but for the ordinary passenger.
Recently I travelled from Felixstowe to London after a visit to Sweden. The coach, which was modern and Duple bodied, is, I understand, operated on behalf of Tor Line by a large well known North London coach company.
The coach had, apparently, been standing in the hot sun for some time and the interior was like a greenhouse. About half an hour elapsed before the driver remembered the comfort of his passengers and switched on the air blower system, but even this was of little use in counteracting the heat and glare of the sun shining through the large unopenable windows which had no tinting, curtains, or blinds of any kind. Another unpleasant half an hour elapsed before we were ready to leave the terminus. Although I am under average height, I found the seating cramped and access ficult due to the fixed arm-rc There weas no seat adjustm or seat-back equipment otl than a cigarette ash containel
During the hot summer 1976 I booked a tour organi: by the same company. Althot. the tour involved long-distar travel from Dublin right act Ireland and back again, 1 coach was similarly ill-equipr and I recall the discomfort of passengers sitting on the ne side who during the jourr north from London to Liverpi had to endure the heat and gli of the early evening sun shini through the unshaded windov In order to dispel the impr sion that my criticism is direct against one particular operat I think I should mentioned -0 recently one of my colleagL travelled on the regular run fri London to Leeds. He, too, fou the standard of comfort left a to be desired.
In the early 1950s I SE holidays in Austria and Italy a can recall that the coache: travelled in were fully equipp with an efficient ventilation s' tern, sun blinds, reclining sea hooks and pockets on the se backs for light bags and od and ends, lift-up seat arms 1 easy access, and a receptacle 1 rubbish.
I have come to the conclusi that the present-day standard passenger comfort in this coL try falls short of what it shot, be and that virtually improvements have been ma, over the last 25 years; Briti coach operators have nothing be proud about.
I do not expect a coach to I equipped with tables, coif bar, toilet, etc, but I do expect comfortable seat which h, some adjustment. and is n cramped, efficient ventilatic and protection from the su somewhere other than the ov( head rack for stowage and son receptacle for rubbish. I wa British operators to gi■ passengers the same standa of comfort which many Co tinental passengers have be enjoying for more than 2 years.
A. J. GATES, London, N11