Operating
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Aspects of
PASSENGER TRANSPORT
OPPOSITION TO TRANSFER OF LICENCES FROM EVA'S TO EWER'S
Five Objectors Said to Have Offered Their businesses for Sale in Recent Weeks SROME significant facts were revealed when George Ewer and Co., Ltd., London, N.16, applied to the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner for the transfer of the licences of Eva's Motor Cbaches, Ltd., London, E.C.2.
The hearing commenced last Friday, and, for the applicant, it was stated that the Eva business was being purchased for £10,000, half this sum being for the acquisition of 15 vehicles and the remainder for goodwill. The Eva concern had operated from 12 points in London, but the purchaser was prepared to sacrifice half of them.
Five of the objecting parties had, it was stated, during the past few weeks, offered their businesses for sale, whilst others had made this move within recent months. George Ewer and Co., Ltd., applied for Eva's express-service licences, excursion-and-tour licences and, in certain instances, the replacement of excursions by express services. There were also applications for licences for feeder services and for services to racecourses throughout the year, instead of during the summer.
Opposition was mainly centred around the feeder services and, for the applicant, it was explained that the company was-prepared to abandon certain points and wished others to be transferred. It was said that an orderly scheme providing for less competition would thus be framed.
The objectors contended that the combined Eva and Ewer businesses would be in a more strategic position than previously if the applications were granted. If express services were substituted for excursions and tours it would seriously affect operators of the latter class of facility. It was added that one operator who worked a service to Bognor last year had on 13 days no passengers.
Mr. Gleeson Robinson, the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner, stated that if an operator purchased another business he should realize that tho rights of other concerns.have to be considered. The purchaser must understand that he was not necessarily entitled to take over the whole of the vendor's assets.
After a hearing that occupied the whole of Tuesday, the Commissioner granted the licences, subject to various modifications in the schedules of feeder services.