Paying to Carry Their Own Passengers A N extraordinary position arising
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out of the restriction imposed in the Western and South-Eastern Areas upon the operation of fantail tours, was indicated at a meeting of tour operators held in Leeds, last week, under the auspices of the North-Eastern Division of the C.M.I.T.A.
It was stated that in some instances during the holiday season just ending, north of England operators had, in effect, had to pay southern concerns the equivalent of a 10-per-cent, commission for the privilege of carrying their own long-date tour passengers from the north on coach excursions in the south. This position arose in cases where southern operators, not having enough vehicles—or enough suitable vehicles—to handle the excursion traffic, diverted to them by the " fantail " restriction, had hired the north. country owners, who had brought the traffic south, to do the work for them.
It was also pointed out that, in certain cases, southern operators had applied to the Traffic Commissioners for permission to operate more vehicles for the purpose of carrying excursionists who had been brought from the north by northern operators of tours. Western area proprietors had sought permission to run 19 additional vehicles.
Evidence as to the effect of the fantail restriction in the Western and South-Eastern Areas during the past season was regarded as refuting the argument which has been advanced on behalf of southern operators—that subsidiary excursions run in connection with long-date tours from the north have taken away from them excursion traffic which they would otherwise handle. The position as to shortage of vehicles outlined above is held to support the contention of northern operators that, generally speaking, the traffic which they take south is new traffic, and that they should, therefore, have the right to carry these passengers on subsidiary excursions without restriction.
In view of experience during the past season, the tour operators who met in Leeds, last week, decided that, in making application for the renewal of their licences and backings to run tours from Yorkshire to the South-Eastern and Western Areas, they would apply for a modification providing for the withdrawal of the restriction limiting the number of their subsidiary excursions in the South-Eastern and Western Areas to one from any centre.
During the past season, all the Yorkshire tour operators have had to work subject to this restriction with the exception of three concerns which continued to run on the pre-restriction basis, pending the hearing, at Leeds, last week, of their appeals against the imposition.
At the hearing of the appeals (reported in last week's issue), the information quoted above as to the effect of the restriction during the past season could not be put forward, as the appeals were against decisioni which the Western and South Eastern Traffic Commissioners made on licence applications submitted last year.
It is understood that if, on the hearing of the applications in respect of next season, the request for the withdrawal of the restriction be refused, the issue will again be taken to appeal, when the invidious position which now exists will be thrashed out.