Fox wins Leicester mute bathe for shop traffic
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MIDLAND FOX has won authority to re-route services in the centre of Leicester, despite objections from Leicester City Bus.
This move, the latest in a developing battle for custom between National Bus-owned Midland Fox and the municipally-owned City Bus undertaking, gives Midland Fox permission to use Gallowtree Gate in the city centre.
The street is used by City Bus, but it argued that it was unsuitable for Midland Fox's buses.
City Council chief assistant engineer George Penfold said Gallowtree Gate was an area of pedestrian preference and additional buses would increase the risk of accidents.
The present application and the introduction of the minibus services recently granted to Midland Fox, would increase the flow of buses along the street from 69 to 101 per hour.
Of the 17 personal injury accidents in the past 12 years in the street, all but two involved buses, most of them with pedestrians walking into the vehicles.
Penfold agreed it was a prime shopping area and a popular destination for passengers coming into Leicester.
He agreed that City Bus • had a major competitive advantage by having sole access to the street, but said that it was hoped to pedestrianise it fully in 1988/89.
Midland Fox traffic manager Trevor Petty said the Commissioners had already granted authority for the Fox Cub minibuses to use Gallowtree Gate and he saw no problems being caused by a further six buses an hour in each direction, Midland Fox counsel Geoffrey Jones argued that people would prefer public transport to cars when they were dropped at the most convenient place for shopping.
Midland Fox believes the City Council wants to protect Gallow tree Gate as City Bus territory.