Railway Fares Too Expensive
Page 40
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A LLEGATIONS that rail travel from .1-1 Glasgow to Manchester and Birmingham was too expensive were made at a hearing of the Scottish Licensing Authority in Glasgow, last week. Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., and the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., were applying for backings to operate a through night service between Glasgow and Coventry, via Manchester and Birmingham, throughout the year.
The Railway Executive and Northern Roadways, Ltd., objected. It was stated that the applicants already operated linking services during the summer. They held a primary licence in the West Midland Area, and had been granted backings by the Northern and North Western Authorities. Mr. W. Pollock, for the railways, admitted that rail fares had increased by 70 per cent. since 1939. The recent introduction of the Starlight Special between Glasgow and London was the result of increased competition by road services. He did not know whether a similar rail service would be operated between Glasgow and Birmingham.
He did not think that competition from road transport had increased because one Authority had held that a section, of the public could not afford the existing rail fares.
The special had been introduced, said the applicants, because people were "getting something cheaper."
Intimating that he was prepared to back the licence,' the Authority, Mr. W. F. Quin, reserved his decision on the request for permission to pick up passengers in the area.