MINISTER'S DECISION COULD BE A FILLIP IT is not unusual
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for a "small" I excursions-and-tours operator to complain that the larger companies are trying to put him off the road. Such a complaint was made to aMinistry of Transport Inspector, Mr. J. M. Glen, recently when Mr. J. R. Cotton (trading as Pleasure Ways), a Brighton mini-coach operator, appealed against the refusal of the South Eastern Traffic Commiss:oners to allow him a road-service licence under which he could operate six 10-day tours to Venice and back. Southdown Motor Services Ltd., East
Kent Road Car Co. Ltd., Blue Cars Continental Coach Cruises Ltd. and Red Line Continental Motorways Ltd., who opposed Cotton's application before the Commissioners and were respondents to the appeal, contended, through their counsel, Mr. J. IC C. Samuel-Gibbon, that their facilities were under-utilized.
A licence was originally issued to Cotton in June of last year, but he had only operated four tours out of 11 that were proposed and granted by the Commissioners on an experimental basis. A renewal was not granted because the applicant had not produced sufficient evidence of need.
Mr. Cotton told the Inspector that he had been operating for only five months. How could he be expected to produce evidence after such a short time, he asked. He requested an early decision because 12 people were booked to leave for Venice on June 4.
The Ministry kindly obliged with an early decision and allowed the appeal to the extent of granting a licence for six tours in 1963, but with six fairly stringent conditions attached. Thc licence expires at the end of November. Each tour must be for a period of 10 days; passengers cannot be taken up or set down other than at the point of origin determined by the Commissioners; the authorized vehicle must be a 12-seater " minibus 'S or vehicle of similar capacity; no more than one can be used on a tour at any one time; the road fare must be determined by the Commissioners.
Mr. Cotton, no doubt, is satisfied—he got a quick decision and was allowed facilities, albeit on a strictly restricted five months basis. If he comes again for a licence next year he will be well advised to bring supporting evidence in the form of people wanting to go on the Continent with him during the next season. He will have to apply in plenty of time and he will have to show that his services are being utilized to the full. Next time he will not be able to plead that five months is not long enough to allow him to produce evidence.
Perhaps the fact that the Minister, on
appeal, has given his blessing to a minicoach. operator to run excursions and tours will give heart to similar operators whose activities are so often frowned upon simply because they run "mini buses". It could certainly act as a fillip to one private hire operator in the East Riding who has been trying, without success, to get this type of vehicle licensed for several years.