Kent 'third man' fails in tours bid
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AFTER putting its case before a two-day Public Sitting, Kent coach operator, Olsen Brothers of Strood was refused an application for Continental tours and an extended tour to Blackpool.
Part of an application was however granted by South Eastern Traffic Commissioners for certain day tours.
General manager of Olsens, Mr Allen, told the Commissioners he wanted to provide tours from the villages in the Hoo Peninsular, and that he thought tours based on the villages would be viable on their own.
He applied for a pick-up point at Strood from where Maidstone and District and Pilchers Coaches had been operating tours for a great many years.
It appeared to be more than a coincidence that since the application had been published, Maidstone and District had advertised tours starting from villages in the Hoo Peninsular at Easter.
Mr Allen told the Commissioners he was willing to operate the service for a year so as to maintain a following.
Mr Allen also told the commissioners he was operating three private hire Continental trips a month, and they were fully loaded.
Similarly, at Blackpool he was carrying private parties, and last year had filled two hotels during the illuminations.
On behalf of Maidstone and District, Mr Tudway said licences were held by it, and it was in a position to operate tours from the Hoo Peninsular.
Although they have not used those pick-up points for 10 years, they now intended to use them for a limited selection of tours.
Speaking for Pinchers Coaches, Christopher Grieves said there had been no evidence in support of Continental tours or for Blackpool. Neither had there been any evidence for the day tours other than for Sundays.
He also said there had been no support for day tours from the Strood area.
In those circumstances, no evidence had been put forward which would justify the licensing of a third operator in the Strood area.