Coach-Air Services a New Need : Existing Principle Invalid ?
Page 36
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
T"principle that Operators who supplied the-day-to-day services in an area should be given the first opportunity to provide any special services required did not apply to road-air linking services. These served an entirely new need, the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners were told by Mr. F. A. Stockdale, on behalf of Wallace Arnold Tours,ltd., when theyapplied at Leeds, Last week, for a new express service between Leeds and Ringway Airport, Manchester, with picking-up and Settingdown points at Huddersfield. Bradford, and Stockport.
In a reserved decision, a licence was granted for one year.
British . Railways, West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., Northern General Transport Co., Ltd.. Lancashire United Transport, Ltd., and the North Western Road Car CO.. Ltd.. objected.
Sole International Airport
The .object of the application, said Mr. Stockdale, was to link the 11m. people in the West Riding with the only international airport serving the north of England. The service, which would be experimental, would be subsidized by British European .Airways, who considered that the weight of traffic being carried from the area justified it.
There would be one timing a day in each direction, with unlimited duplication. The service would leave Leeds at 7 a.m. and arrive at Ringway at 9.15 a.m. On -the return trip, the service would leave the airport at 8..15 p.m and arrive at Leeds at 10.30 p.m.
In 1956 loadings at Ringway from the Manchester catchment area of 1m. people totalled 128,846, or 7.1 per cent. This compared with 25,642 or 1.5 per cent., from the West Riding. The number of air travellers from the West Riding had increased by 7,000 in 1956.
The application was also supported by the Dutch Airline, K.L.M. and by Aer Lingus. A letter from Manchester Corporation Airport Committee pointed out the vast growth of passenger and freight traffic since 1947, much of it drawn from Yorkshire.
Mr. Frank Marshall, of the West Riding branch of the Institute of Directors. which had 1,100 members representing 700 firms, said they were giving the proposal their full support. Members had found other means for transport to Ringway very inconvenient, and many preferred to make the long journey to London Airport.
Questioned by Mr. W. Hargrave, for the road objectors, Mr. J. Malcolm Barr, assistant managing director of Wallace Arnold, denied• that the company's interest was connected with their extended tours to the Continent. The coaches would be painted in B.E.A. colours, and if the service were a success Wallace Arnold were 'contemplating buying special coaches to the airline's specifications_
Hidden Implication
West Riding and their associated companies had been operating express" services between Leeds,. HudderMeld, Bradford and Manchester for many years, submitted Mr. Hargrave. They operated throughout the year, and for long periods traffic was very low. They were much concerned about this, "pilot" scheme, which could -not be regarded as an application solely for one coach in each direction. It the service were -justified, there .would be an ever-increasing flow.
Wallace Arnold were not Serving the route, or any material part of it, and were seeking to catch air passengers at the earliest possible point by' picking them up at the three principal population centres in the West Riding.
In the absence of any neglect or refusal to meet this need, on which they had never been approached, the operators serving the route should be allowed to deal with it.