RAILWAY COMPANY OBJECTS TO CROSS-COUNTRY COACH SERVICE Insupportable Arguments Carry
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no Weight with the Northern Corsmissioners INTEREST attaches to the recent _Lpublie sitting of the Northern Traffic
Commissioners, at Newcastle, when applications by five important companies for backings for licences to operate coach services between the Tyneside and Liverpool, a route on which railway services are not convenient, were, nevertheless. strongly objected to by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co. Coach operators and ethers wondered what possible objection could be brought forward by the railway concern to the applications in question.
The applications were made by the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., Yorkshire (Woollen District) Electric Tramways Co., Ltd., and the B44
Lancashire United Transport and Power Co., Ltd., for the backing of licences which had yet to be granted,
It was stated for the applicants that the service was commenced mainly for pleasure traffic, but the demand that was experienced was of a general nature. The Northern General Transport C.o., Ltd., originated its service on May 1st, 1928. During 1930. more than 263,000 passengers were carried on the Newcastle Manchester Liverpool route, the average fares being 4s. per Passenger.
For the L.M.S. company the argu ment was advanced that, if road-transport undertakings increased to such an extent as to cripple the railway's passenger revenue, it would appear that the only alternative was to get the business back in freights, and it was submitted that a cross-country coach service, covering a distance of about 170 miles, was unnecessary.
Mr. Henry Ritches, chairman of the Commissioners, asked if the railway company had done anything to popularize its route between Newcastle and Liverpool, and received the answer that it was a difficult route to popularize.
After a brief adjournment, the Commissioners granted backings subject to certain conditions, including the production of a working agreement between the five companies concerned.