TWO OF THREE
Page 46
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OF three appeals by the Potteries Motor Traction Co. Ltd., Stoke-onTrent, the Minister of Transport has dismissed two and allowed certain concessions on the third.
Potteries Motor Traction had appealed against the granting to Berresford Motors Ltd., Cheddleton, of express carriage services between Weston Coyney and Leek, Milton and Leek, and Oakamoor and Leek. The Minister considered that the grant was justified on the southern half of the Oakamoor and Leek route, but that the potential demand for the service on the northern half was not enough. Accordingly, he made an Order on the Commissioners to delete all the picking-up points between Froghall and Ipstones Edge inclusive.
The appellant proposed that certain principles should guide the Traffic Commissioners when considering bespoke services. The Minister agreed that the considerations in 5.135(2) of the Road Traffic Act, 1960, applied fully to licensed bespoke services and they should be approached in an essentially pragmatic spirit. He would not wish the discretion given to the Traffic Commissioners under the Act to be restricted by the adoption of principles which might prove undesirably rigid in practical application, he said. He agreed with his inspector that the existence of a reasonably adequate stage service, or one which the operator had shown that he was willing and able to improve, was an important factor to be weighed before authorizing a bespoke service.