Agency Agreements No Official Move
Page 58
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE Metropolitan and South-Eastern 1 Traffic Commissioners have refused to intervene in the question of restrictive agency agreements, but have offered to assist private negotiations be tween the parties concerned. This decision has just been communicated to George Ewer and Co., Ltd., which objected to applications by the Eastern Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd„ Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., and Southdown Motor Services, Ltd., on the ground that they were not suitable organizations to hold licences.
The contention was that, through London Coastal Coaches, Ltd., they restricted the use of licensed facilities by the public. At earlier hearings it was stated that the London Coastal concern had made agreement preventing •the issue of tickets for companies outside the combine with agents who previously acted for the Ewer company and other independent operators. .
At the conclusion of the hearings, the Commissioners stated that the Ewer concern had not made out a case, and that no evidence of enticement had been led. They offered, however; to bear further evidence as to whether the restrictive clause in the agency agreement was contrary to the public interest, The Commissioners now state that the establishment of a sole agency is not, in itself, contrary to the public interest. A different aspect, however, • would arise when a big group took over, under restrictive agreements, . agents who had previously acted for other operators. The Commissioners are loth to formulate conditions which might have the appearance of interfering with the management of a business.
They think that it would be preferable for private negotiations to be carried out to stop the appointment under restrictive agreements (except by the consent of the operators con, cerried) of agents who have, during, say, the previous year, acted for other. companies. The Commissioners arc . willing to co-operate in any consults,.' tion to this end.
The Eastern Commissioners recently. refused to take any action.