Grant for 'enthusiastic' company
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• Granting a modification to the excursions and tours licence of Coaches (Bromsgrove) Ltd. in Birmingham on Tuesday, Mr. John Else, chairman of the West Midland Traffic Commissioners, congratulated the applicant company on its enthusiasm. Excursions and tour operations, he said, were a part of the p.s.v. business which was most often neglected. Companies like Coaches, however, proved that they were a part of the business which could be very rewarding.
Coaches had applied to modify its licence in four respects. First, it wanted to introduce additional taking-up and setting-down points. Secondly, it wanted to revise the duration of certain tours. Thirdly, it hoped to introduce additional tours, and, finally, it was hoped to increase all fares by 20 per cent. By the time of the inquiry, however, it had been agreed that the increase in fares applied for should be one of only 10 per cent, and that certain of the picking-up points should be deleted from the applica tion. This satisfied all objectors.
Mr. G. W. Harris, secretary of Coaches, told the Commissioners that the company had been operating coaches since the 1920s. This application, he explained, had been designed to give customers a greater variety of tours to choose from and to provide them with more convenient picking-up points.
Coaches, said Mr. Harris, had not introduced a fares increase since 1965. Since then there had been a sharp rise in fuel costs, drivers' wages bills and general overheads. Although the company took advantage of the optional increase clause in its licence at weekends and public holidays, it was still necessary to introduce a basic increase.
At one time, Coaches had been using two of its vehicles covered by taxi insurance to pick up passengers at points other than those specified on the company's licence. Mr. Harris gave the Commissioners his assurance that this would not happen again.