Scotland-Ireland : Tours or Express Services ?
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"A SERVICE which provides for the conveyance of parties to a port of embarkation and for their return after an interval at an inclusive charge, meant to preserve the parties as such from start to finish, is a service of tours and excursions rather than an express service," declared Mr. J. G. Leechrnan, an inspector of the Ministry of Transport, in his report on an appeal concerning excursions and tours from Edinburgh to Stranraer where passengers boarded a boat for Ireland.
The appellants were Scottish Omnibuses, Ltd., Western S.M.T.
Ltd., and the Railway Executive. They objected to a decision of the Scottish Licensing Authority granting St. Cuthherth Co-operative Association, Ltd., a licence for an EdinburghStranraer tour operated oil Saturdays from May to September in conjunction with tours in the North of Ireland, The Minister has decided to curtail the period of operation so that it will commence in July instead of May.
For the railways, Mr. G. C. Emslie complained about the delay surrounding the case. The Licensing Authority had mentioned the service in a letter in October, 1950, and St. Cpthbert's applied for licences in April, 1951. The hearing was in October, 1951, and the grant made in April, 1952. Pending decision, the operator had, Mr. Emslie alleged, run the service illegally throughout 1952.
Ile said the service was, in effect, an express one, and not an excursion or tour. The operator did not carry back on the return journey the same passengers in the same vehicle. There was no evidence in support of the application and the witnesses called had contradicted each other.
For the Association it was held that difficulty of returning toEdinburgh from Stranraer after the week's tour had necessitated the operation of the tour in this way.
Mr. Leechman, in his recommendations, declared that it had been intended originally to employ railway services for the Edinburgh-Stranraer connection, subject to transport being available for passengers to return to the starting point from Glasgow on the last day of the tour. People had soon found that this was " impossible."
Although evidence of illegal running could be discounted, he said, it was "some evidence that the service would cater for a public anxious to travel but which to a large extent would not travel Otherwise." He supported the Licensing Authority's decision and said that the demand had been proved. He recommended the decision be upheld, subject to the restriction of the period of operation.