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BUS OWNERS' APPEALS TO THE M. OF T.

23rd December 1924
Page 25
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Page 25, 23rd December 1924 — BUS OWNERS' APPEALS TO THE M. OF T.
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Keywords : Bus

Details of the Factors Involved in the Case of Two Official Inquiries Recently Conducted in the North.

"El VENTS have not been proceeding 12..1 with their customary smoothness during the past few months so far as the licensing of motorbuses in the North of England is .concerned. In various directions there have been signs of friction and clashing of interests between the proprietors of passenger-carrying vehicles and the licensing authorities, and in certain eases where the owners

have not obtained the necessary assent to their applications for running powers, they have not been slow to make appeals to the Ministry of Transport. Inquiries into two such appeals were conducted some days ago, when important questions relating to the, passenger-vehicle movement in the neighbourhood were raised.

One of these inquiries, conducted by Mr. W. Maher, of the Ministry, at Bishop Auckland, was the outcome of a refusal of the Bishop Auckland Urban .District Council to grant permission to Mr. Oswald Huntly, of. the Motor Supplies, Ltd., to operate over the route from Cabin Gate to the Market Place of the town, whilst it bad given running powers to United Automobile Services, Ltd.

Apart from the appeal, the question of the establishment of bus stands in different parts of the town, in place of a central stand in the Market Place, was involved. This side of the question received the attention of Mr. E. Wooler, of Darlington, who represented seven local owners, these being Messrs. Herbert Stephenson, Emerson, R. Hutchinson, Wheldon and Gray,. Chamberlain Bros., Westwood Motors, Ltd., and Stephenson.

As a result of the new regulations for the use of bus stands, buses are now compelled to set down their passengers at Cabin Gate, which is three-quarters of a mile from the town, instead of running right into the Market Place, as heretofore. The local authority has taken a serious view of the tremendous increase in the volume of bus traffic, and the establishment of the new bus stands was decided upon in order to avoid acute congestion.

Referring to the appeal, Mr. Huntly said that his company had purchased a 14seater bus with a view to providing a service between Cabin Gate mid the Market Place, and, in response to his application ;to the council, he Teceived, along with other applicants, a questionnaire. The points which were raised "and the answers given by Mr. Handy were as follow :—

(1) What class of bus do you propose to use for the service?—The bus will be a new Morris 1-tonner, with a body to accommodate 14 passengers facing forward, with a clear passage down the centre and an emergency door at the rear.

(2) Are you prepared to run a daily service (Sundays excepted) ?—Yes.

• (3) Are you prepared to rim an hourly, half-hourly or quarter-hourly serviee?—We propose running one bus on a half-hourly service at first. Then, should the needs of the public necessitate a quarter-hourly service, we will endeavour to comply, and will be prepared to consult the council as to the necessity for putting on extra vehicles.

(4) What charge do you propose to make from Cabin Gate to the Market Place and from the Market Place to the station?-2d. and id. The fares will not in any way exceed these amounts, but if we find it possible to reduce them -we will do so after a working trial.

Mr. Huntly contended that it was the answer to the last question which had influenced the authority to give the sole • running powers to United Automobile Services, Ltd., and pointed out that the road should be open to all who cared to use it.

In responso to a question from Mr. Fieher, Mr. Huntly said that he was quite prepared to work to a time-table which did not in any way conflict with that run bs United Automobile Services, Ltd.

Mr. Proud, who appeared for the local authority, said that there were about 250 buses registered in Bishop Auckland, and that as many as 50 vehicles had been counted at one time standing in the Market Place waiting for passengers. Moreover, on. occasions as many as 130 buses each way had been found to pass through the narrow neck in Newgate Street in the course of an hour. So acute had the position become that


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