Operating Aspects of PASSENGER TRANSPORT
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MINISTER UPHOLDS LIMITATION OF LONG-DISTANCE SERVICES Protection for Railways the Effect of Appeal Decisions APPEALS which raise an important question as to the allocation between road and rail of through services between cities extreme distances from each other, have been decided by the Minister of Transport.
Midland Bus Services, Ltd. (now the Western S.151.T. Co., Ltd.), appealed against the conditions attached by the Metropolitan Commissioner to a backing of a licence for a Glasgow-London service. County Motor Services, Ltd., made a similar appeal, whilst the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co. appealed against the granting, by the Southern Scotland Commissioners, of a backing for the County concern's service. The County Motor Services' appeal was withdrawn.
The Minister recognizes the import ance of low fares to some passengers, but it appears to him especially appropriate to give weight to the need for co-ordinating different forms of transport and the avoidance of wasteful competition in the case of services covering extreme distances; tours are, of course, excepted from these remarks.
The Minister considers that the Metropolitan Commissioner has acted rightly in limiting the number of vehicles to be employed. The Commissioner has allowed Midland Bus Services, Ltd., a maximum of nine vehicles per day during July, and has restricted the extended summer service to the period from June 1 to October 31. The company now asked for the number of vehicles to. be increased to a maximum of 24 and that the summer service should commence on March 17.
The Metropolitan Commissioner has also limited to eight the maximum number of vehicles allowed to be used by County Motor Services, Ltd., on the route. The Commissioner does not propose to make any Order on the appeals The fixing of inquiries into the fot lowing appeals relating to decisions of the Southern Scotland Commissioners on applications for licences for LondonScotland services has been deferred :— L.M.S. Railway Co., against Messrs. Orange Brothers, Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., and the Western S.M.T. Co., Ltd.; Messrs. Orange Brothers, against licence conditions.