FIE wins workers' service licence
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• The West Midland PTE (Northern division), appearing before the West Midl land Traffic Commissioners in Birmingham on Monday, was granted an application to operate a stage-carriage service between Hednesford and the Lucas factory at Cannock, after a similar application by Churchbridge Luxury Coaches Ltd had been withdrawn. The PTE had objected to the application.
In September last year the Commissioners granted a short-term stage-carriage licence to Churchbridge Luxury Coaches after hearing that the company wished to charge a fare on the service which had been operating under contract to Jos Lucas Ltd. This was because Lucas wished to secure a return of about 25 per cent of the .£20 paid per day for the two buses which were on the factory service.
However, the chairman of the Commissioners, Mr John Else, said in September, for the benefit of the PTE, that the fact he was prepared to grant Churchbridge Luxury Coaches a short-term licence would have no bearing on any future full-term application which the company might lodge. He also asked the PTE whether, before the full-term application came before him, the PTE would consider operating the same service.
At Monday's hearing, Mr H. 0. Forrester, representing Jos Lucas, said that in the past 10 months Churchbridge Luxury Coaches had given Lucas first-class service about which no criticism could be made, but he agreed with Mr H. Burrell, for the PTE, that the service which the PTE proposed to operate would be equally suitable.
Mr Forrester added that he realized Lucas would not receive any financial return from the PTE, as was the case with Churchbridge Luxury Coaches.
On announcing that he would grant the application, Mr Else warned the PTE that if the service was not of the required standard Lucas should look to Churchbridge Luxury Coaches for yet another application to the Commissioners. But he went on to say that Lucas would have to have a good cause for complaint rather than one isolated case of unsatisfactory service.