YORKSHIRE OPERATORS DIVIDED ON CONTRACT-CARRIAGE LICENSING
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Three Courses Shown at Leeds Meeting. Deputation to Minister ()PPOS1T1ON to the Minister of Transport's proposals for licensing contract-carriage work was voiced at a meeting of Yorkshire operators in Leeds on January. 24. Another phase of this meeting is referred to on the next page.
Although the meeting appeared to be unanimous in objecting to the replacement of the present system of licensing this work in Yorkshire, there was not the same unanimity in other directions. Seine speakers were in favour of the total abolition of licensing for prebooked parties. Others would support the Minister's scheme if it were supplementary to the pre-booked party licensing system already operating in Yorkshire, under Schedule 2A. Several speakers said that the latter system should be modified.
It was intimated that the Minister had agreed to receive, on January 30, a deputation representing the Yorkshire operators' associations, a statement on which appears on another page in this feature. It was decided that the Schedule 2A licensing system should be put forward as a basis for discussion at a joint conference for drafting a memorandum to be submitted to the Minister.
Mr. R. Barr, who presided, said that the C.M.U.A. committee's opinion was that the " contract " problem could be settled in a simple way. If sonic form of reduced rate could he settled and submitted to the Traffic Commissioners, and licences granted without objection from each individual, that would go a long way to meeting the desires of all operators. He added that the Minister's scheme was proposed to replace the schedule 2A system. • Mr. A. H. Butterwick, chairman of the Yorkshire Motor Coach and Transport Owners' Association, asked what was the present attitude of the C.M.U.A. to the Schedule 2A system. This was based on proposals made by his own Association, but the C.M.U.A. opposed it. The C.M.U.A. was now objecting to the Minister's scheme. If the C.M.U.A. would support the continuance of the Schedule 2A system, with the addition of the Minister's scheme, his Association could unite with the other organization.
Mr. F. 0. Bibbings, secretary of the Yorkshire Stage Carriage Operators' Association, said that if the Minister's proposal were supplementary to the Schedule 2A system, his Association would support it, subject to certain inodifications. It would, however, strenuously oppose the substitution of the Minister's scheme for the Schedule 2A system. The chairman said the C.M.U.A.' would also oppose such au action.
Mr.J. Keeling, secretary of the York
shire Motor Coach and Transport Owners' Association, said his Association regarded price maintenance as vital, but members also felt that in the case of big contracts, they should have facilities for quoting a price per vehicle, instead of quoting individual fares. The Minister's scheme appeared to offer facilities for doing that.
The chairman said that if the majority wanted pre-booked-party licensing, he would agree.
With regard to the Schedule 2A scheme system, Mr. Keeling agreed that there should be some modification, and that the radius for picking up prebooked parties should be extended beyond three miles.
. Mr. E. A. Heath, of Doncaster, said that 99 per cent. of the industry was opposed to the present 2A system.
Mr. • G. E. Brown, of Chesterfield, said that at a meeting of Chesterfield operators the previous evening, the feeling with regard to private parties was thatproprietors should be allowed to pick up anywhere within a 10-mile radius without any restriction, eicept control of fares.
Another subject dealt with was the restrictions which have been imposed by the 'Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners on Seasonal express services between inland towns and seaside resorts. A resolution .was passed to the effect that all operators who consider they have grievances in the matter, should submit their cases to the Association.