rtionsport Bill will neon more hearings
Page 11
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VIEW of how the Transport Bill will work in practice, and the rects it will have on the traffic commissioners, was given last aek by Northern Traffic Commissioner Bertram Foster, ports NOEL MILLIER.
He told a Newcastle Univerty symposium that there will .obably be an increase in the imber of public sittings for age carriage licences. This is !cause of the new proof of ed criteria, and he expects any cases will go to the .ansport Minister on appeal. Mr Foster also foresaw implications arising from the ct that express services of rer 30 miles would be deredated.
He gave football matches at Aer Park in Sunderland as example. Many operators Av have licences to operate these matches and many are ;s than 30 miles away.
Unless regular a football atch was designated a pecial event", a road service .ence would still be required. He also thought that seems of express services would 11 fall within 30-mile limits Id so may require licensing. Questions would be raised 'er the definitions of "public interest" and "works service." A works service picking up passengers at various points and taking them to their workplace would not need a licence, but what about the return journey?
Mr Foster told delegates that the Traffic Commissioners' publication, Notices and Proceedings, was to continue, but he predicted that on fare tables would probably disappear from licences.
Operators would simply have to give the Commissioners at least 21 days' notice of a proposed increase. The only course an objecting local authority could take would be to ask the Traffic Commissioners to place new conditions on the licence, and this would not be possible until after the fare increase.
On the operator licensing, Mr Foster's criteria before granting a licence would be to check: (a) The operators' good repute.
(b) his financial standing – he would like to see evidence of the operator's financial standing.
(c) Maintenance facilities – he would have to be satisfied that vehicles were to be properly maintained.
Operators without maintenance facilities would have to produce evidence a contract with a garage.
He thought that operators should have secure parking areas to avoid the danger of vehicle vandalism, and would have to demonstrate their willingness to comply with statutory requirements.
Under the 0 licence system all operators will have to apply for it every five years.