MANCHESTER MASS MEETING PROTESTS AGAINST RESTRICTIONS
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THE. vital need for co-operation between coach operators was emphasized at a mass meeting, held in Manchester; last week, under the auspices of the Coach Operators Special Committee, North Western Area, in collaboration with the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association.
Mr. C. Y. Lloyd, the chairman, explained the steps that had been taken up to date in the fight against unfair restrictions. He protested against the anomaly under which the railways are allowed to object to all licence applications by coach and bus operators, although the latter are unable to retaliate.
Mr. Lloyd also appealed to operators to use every means within their power for securing adequate publicity for their grievances. He mentioned that a panel of operators had been advocated, to sit in rota with the Traffic Commissioners. No industry was, he added, so regulated as that of road transport, without being able to nominate representatives of the controlling body.
Mr. Raymond Birch, of the National Council of the M.H.C.S.A., outlined the activities of his Association and stressed the need for a separate appeal tribunal.
E38 A resolution was carried protesting against onerous restrictions and calling upon the Minister of Transport to modify them, so that operators could meet public requirements and could have reasonable control of their own
businesses. Mr. Lloyd, before proposing this resolution, said that his committee was of the opinion that licence applicants should be legally re
presented before the Commissioners, but this met with little support.
Mr. R. Seddon declared that, unless the present restrictions were eased, 25 per cent, of operators would go out of business.
Later, another resolution was passed, protesting to the chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners concerning the remarks made at a sitting on September 10, in respect of the non-observance of licence conditions. It was added that, although there might be certain breaches of conditions by individual operators, these had, in many cases, been occasioned by the unreasonable restrictions. A third resolution called the attention of the Unemployed Assurance Statutory Committee to the effect on unemployment of the increased restrictions inflicted on the coaching industry. It was also decided to send the resolution to the Minister of Labour, the Transport and General WorkerS Union, etc.
Some scathing criticism was made of fares for certain railway excursions from Manchester and Liverpool to Blackpool at 2s. 3d., including the cost of entry to a dance hall, and from Macclesfield to Rhyl for 2s 6d.