Details of Irregularities Demanded
Page 28
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THE good faith of an applicant was important and any admission of irregular operation cast doubts upon it. the North Western Traffic Commissioners pointed out last week. Mr. R. Williamson, chairman, told I. Wearden and Sons, Ltd., Blackburn, that more information about alleged irregularities would be needed before a decision on their application could be given.
Wearden's were seeking permission to pick up at Brownhill during Easter and Whitsuntide, and during Blackburn's holiday fortnight. Objectors were Holden's Tours (0swaldtwistle), Ltd., Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., and W. C. Standerwick, Ltd.
Mr. H. Backhouse, for Wearden's, said they were granted picking-up points in Brownhill last year for all periods other than the times they now sought. This was aimed at protecting Holden's. However, at Easter and Whitsuntide this year no Holden coach was seen to pick up there, and Mr. J. Wearden discovered that they had made no bookings for the holiday fortnight.
A special dispensation was therefore *26 granted to Wearden's on July 19, and it was now obvious that Holden's were incapable of providing for the area, as their originating point was at Accrington. There were suggestions that Mr. Holden was farming out his licence to other people, and it was quite clear that he was relying on unsatisfactory hiring, in some cases using unsuitable vehicles.
Questioned by Mr. E. Slinger, for Holden's, Mr. Wearden admitted operating irregularly by helping out an operator named Benson. They had combined Picking-up points on their two licences with one coach twice in 1956 and once this year, he said.
Mr. Slinger subrnitted that because Wearden's offered a more varieck programme, Holden's had lost their Brownhill booking agent and were in danger of being frozen out.
Reserving decision, Mr. Williamson pointed out that Mr. Holden had also admitted irregular operation, by linking Rhyl and Llandudno. The linking of picking-up points and destinations was illegal, and if it happened again it would be held against the operators.