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The big Wallace Arnold Tours battle starts all over again

21st April 1967, Page 36
21st April 1967
Page 36
Page 36, 21st April 1967 — The big Wallace Arnold Tours battle starts all over again
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

THE rehearing of strongly contested applications by Wallace Arnold Tours Ltd., of Leeds, for continuations and modifications of British and Continental tours licences began in Manchester this

week.

The applications were originally heard by the North Western Traffic Commissioners between June and October last year. But after reserving their decision, the Commissioners disagreed—hence the rehearing.

First to be considered this week by deputy chairman Mr. G. Newman and two other Commissioners were two applications for new excursions and tours licences to be operated in conjunction with Continental tours.

Wallace Arnold sought to run to Southend Airport, Dover and Southampton starting at Preston and taking in Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Rawtenstall, Waterfoot, Stackstead, Bacup, Rochdale, Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne, Hyde, Manchester and Stockport.

A feeder service was also sought starting at Liverpool and connecting at Manchester with the tours from Preston, taking in St. Helens, Wigan and Bolton. The period of operation was to be Easter and/or April 1 to October 31, with a vehicle allowance of six from Preston and two from Liverpool on any one day. On both services the passengers to be only those booked on inclusive Continental tours arranged by Wallace Arnold.

One or both applications were opposed by 20 objectors represented by Mr. J. Booth and Mr. R. 0. Sutton.

At the outset Mr. J. Backhouse (deputising for Mr. Booth) submitted the applications were defective as they did not comply with section 140 of the Road Traffic Act 1960 and p.s.v. licences and certificates regulations of 1952 in relation to inclusive fares and destinations and duration of tours on the Continent.

After hearing Mr. F. Marshall, for Wallace Arnold, the Commissioners overruled the objection on the grounds that it formed no part of the objections and that notice should have been given.

Mr. Marshall outlined the history of the takeover from Yelloway of the licences relating to Rochdale, Manchester, Preston and Bolton and of the operations thereunder from 1954 to 1958 and how it was urged by the objectors last year that those licences were redundant and therefore new excursions and tours for the Continent could not be added.

His client had now split the applications to avoid an argument about a dead licence. Wallace Arnold was an old-established operator of Continental tours, particularly from Yorkshire. Demand was increasing and he posed the question as to whether it was right to ask 2,000 people booked from the North Western area to join the tours in Yorkshire or London.

The chairman of Wallace Arnold Trust, Mr. J. M. Barr, said the market for Continental tours had grown since 1950 but provincial operators had not grown with it. Permission was sought to introduce a specialized service carrying people from the various towns and the point of departure for the Continent and vice versa. Possibilities for growth were considerable.

Coach operators to London were not involved; any abstraction would be from British Railways, but the potential traffic was so great that any such loss would be offset by the increase in crossChannel traffic.

In cross-examination he agreed the initial operations could be uneconomic unless some coach journeys were married up. The pattern would however change once the facilities were granted.


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