No time given for appeal, claim two operators
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AN allegation that the Traffic Commissioners should not have granted an application for a road service licence before the 21-day period for notice of appeal had expired was made in Okehampton on Tuesday.
Appealing, at a Ministry Inspector's inquiry, against the grant of an express rail replacement service to W. 0. Jennings, of Bude, Cornwall, following the closure of the OkehamptonBude line, were Mr. F. M. Elven of Okebridge Motor Services Ltd., Okehampton, and D. and M. Perrie, of Halwill, Beaworthy.
Perrie was supported at the original hearing by British Railways.
Mr. Elven said his application was published on August 25 1966, the hearing took place on September 5, and a licence should not therefore have been granted so soon. Mr. D. Perrie claimed there was insufficient time for objections to be dealt with.
Mr. C. G. Dennis, for the appellants, referred to a letter from the Minister in which she stated that she had considered Mr. Perry's request, but it would be wrong to take in this additional evidence as it was not heard at the original hearing. It could be the subject of further submission to the Traffic Commissioners.
Perric claimed that, as the established operator in the area already serving two-thirds of the new route, it should have been granted the licence. Furthermore, the service now operated by Jennings was causing further abstraction of traffic in an area where large losses were occurring. He had already cut his existing stage services by 60 per cent in June 1966, reducing his monthly mileage from 1,240 to 551.
Mr. Elven also claimed to be the established local operator, although admitting he did not operate very far to the west of Okehampton. The introduction of Jennings' service had also caused abstraction of traffic from his own services.
Turnstile test in Manchester
AN EXPERIMENTAL one-man operation bus with a difference is now running in Manchester. It has turnstiles which take 6d. or 3d. pieces and which can be over-ridden by the driver to admit voucher-holders too. The bus is a Leyland Panther, carrying 60 passengers. The turnstile machines are made by Sir W. H. Bailey & Co. Ltd., of Salford, and distributed by Ticket Equipment Ltd., of Cirencester.
In April, Manchester will be taking delivery of 30 additional vehicles similarly equipped, but with turnstiles that can be tucked away over the wheel arches to allow conventional methods of fare collection.
AA CHIEF'S 12-POINT PLAN
AUTOMOBILE Association director-general Mr. Alec Dune came up last week with a 12-point plan for greater use of London's road capacity. His proposals included a drastic increase in oneway streets to assist public transport services; bus lanes and streets; and mini-bus and short-run bus services linking main shopping areas with car parks and public transport termini. Mr. E. Chegwin, for Jennings, described Perrie as a moribund operator, who did not possess sufficient coaches and would have introduced elderly vehicles, while Jennings operated modern coaches on the service.
This was contested by Mr. D. Perrie, who claimed that the oldest vehicle he would use would be of 1961/62 vintage.
Mr. B. Knox, for Perrie, said his proposed fares were much lower than those charged by Jennings.
A warning by Penie that it might have to withdraw its existing services if the licence was not granted was not a threat, said Mr. Knox. But if it did not get this licence it would have to give a hard look at the future operation of its existing services.