Licences Only For Actual Operators
Page 49
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THEY object to operators hiring out vehicles at lamp SUMS, when the application showed a rate for, the individual passenger, said Mr. W. Chamberlain, chairman of .the North-Western Traffic Commissioners, last week, when refusing an application by Messrs. W. Knowles and Sons to operate the travel section of extended tours for the Bolton Co-operative Society during the Bolton annual holiday week. It had been stated to be a border-line case, but the Commissioners felt that it presented featurt.s that, if granted, would lead • to difficulties in this form of operation.
They came to the Commissioners merely to be confirmed in their view that this was a private party, said Mr. H. Backhouse, Jun., on behalf of the applicants. The society, he stated, advertised the tours by bills in its own shops and its own magazine, and there was the doubt whether this was advertisement in the manner indicated by the 1934 Act. By confining the tours to members of the society, the difficulty might be met. The society had been responsible for holiday arrangements for its members for many years, dunng which they had travelled mainly by rail. Between 35 and 40 vehicles were concerned.
If any extension of services were desired for Bolton, said Mr. F. Hindle (for 11 operators of tours from Bolton), then those who for years had supplied the need 'should supply that extension, There' were • powerful cooperative societies in every town in Lancashire and if ' such a system as that proposed spread, the established operators would be completely driven out of business.
Messrs. Knowles's application having been refused, an alternative application by the society for a licence for itself to run the service was then made. Announcing the refusal also of this application, the chairman said that the Commissioners had never introduced the practice of licensing services to those who did not own vehicles. They did not want to place those responsible for the operation entirely in the bands of agents who held the licence.
"PAY-AS-YOU-CAN " IN THE NORTH.
yESTERDAY (Thursday), at Darlington, United Automobile Services, Ltd., revived its new scheme for the payment of coach tickets on the instalment plan. The company is issuing to the public cards which can be filled with a makimum of 12 1s, stamps. The stamps thus collected can be exchanged for ordinary coach tickets or for season tickets.
The inauguration centred around two new propaganda luxury coaches, fitted out with wireless apparatus and loudspeakers, which are going to tour Yorkshire, Northumberland and Durham, and "boost " the new system of coach travel by instalments.
CONCESSION IN TOUR CHARGES.
BLACKPOOL coach operators are supporting the guest holiday'scherne, which Blackpool Corporation is featuring as a June attraction, by offering to " guests " a 25-per-cent. reduction on all coach trips of 2s. and over.
TWO DISPUTES WITH WORKERS SETTLED
DIFFEREINCES between workers and L./employers have been settled by two big bus companies. Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., has agreed virtually to abolish the expression "casual workers." which relates to men who have only periodic work.
If a man works on three week-days and is willing to do duty on the Sunday, he shall receive not less than 24 hours' pay, or if he works for four week-days and is willing to work on Simday, he shall be paid wages for 36 hours. After 12 months' service; men will receive nine days' holiday with seven days' pay and after two years' service, nine days' holiday with _eight days' pay.
An important feature of the settlement of the dispute between the Birmingham and Midland Omnibus Co., Ltd., and its workers is full recognition of the Transport and General Workers Union. The men's request for a general increase in wages has been rejected, but service bonuses are to be offered. These will be additional to any general increase in wages that may be made at a future date.
CHARLTON'S TAKEN OVER.
AS from March 23, Charlton's Blue Safety Coaches, Ltd., will give up -the Newcastle route, the seryice being absorbed in the,new co-ordinated timetable to be operated jointly by United Automobile Services, Ltd., Majestic Saloon Coaches, Ltd., and Orange Bros., Ltd. Under this scheme there will be eight departures daily from LonclOn and from Newcastle, with certain route variations, mainly in the Newcastle area.
OVER 2,300 SERVICES TO BLACKPOOL.
PROOF of Blackpool's popularity as a road-passenger-transport centre is afforded by thereport, for 1935, of the chief constable, Mr. E. H. Holmes. He reveals that 2,378 applications were made to the North Western Traffic Commissioners for services to Blackpool, compared with about 2,000 in 1934. Of these applications, 1,992 were concerned With tours and excursions, 299 with express services and 87 with stage services.
Facilities for setting down and picking up coach passengers on the public highway were granted to 613 parties during the year, representing 36,156 passengers, against 58 and 4,910 respectively in 1934.
NO MANCHESTER-LONDON SLEEPERS.
FOLLOWING statements to that effect appearing in a Manchester newspaper, last week, there was considerable interest in the prospect of sleeper coaches being introduced on the Manchester-London route, in the near future, but the announcement had proved to be unfounded.
"There is nothing in it," said Mr. J. H. Womar, traffic manager of the North-Western Road Car Co., Ltd., to The Commercial Motor.