Sequel to West Riding Grants
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AS a sequel to grants made by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners to operators catering for West Riding holiday traffic to Torquay, Mr. J. R. Willis conducted an appeal inquiry at Leeds last week. After hearings lasting more than 10 hours, and spread over two days, Mr. Willis will report to the Minister of Transport.
The British Transport Commission appealed against extra facilities granted to Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd., Leeds,. and J. W. Kitchin and Sons, Ltd., Stanningley. Kitchin also appealed against conditions attached to variations.
In the third case, the B.T.C. and Kitchin appealed against the grant of an express licence to I-Iebble Motor Services, Ltd., Halifax, for a Bradford-Rochdale service to carry only pre-booked passengers going to Torquay.
For the B.T.C., Mr. G. P. Crowe said that in 1954 there had been a joint application for licences for the Torquay run from a number of West Riding operators. The application was refused and on appeal the decision was upheld.
In 1956, a number of operators made separate applications and some limited concessions were granted. Again there were appeals in a number of the cases. In 1958, more applications went forward. They were heard early this year and some of these were now the subject of appeal.
Mr. Crowe said that for fresh licences to be granted it was incumbent upon the applicants to show that conditions had changed. He maintained that there had been no significant changes over the years and there was no case for the grant of a new licence.
Mr. F. S. Marshall, for Wallace Arnold, submitted that holidaymakers were entitled to a choice of mode of travel. A refusal of facilities would amount to dictation. Mr. Raymond Dean, for Kitchin, said that Hebble had not made out the need for the grant of a new express licence for carrying Bradford holidaymakers to Rochdale on the way to Torquay.
Allegations that Hebble had a secret undisclosed target, in seeking the Bradford-Rochdale licence, were denied by Mr. F. D. Walker. He told how the express coaches would link with the Torquay services of Yelloway Motor Services, Ltd., Rochdale.