School crash accident fear
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Children in danger
THE CONDITION of some public service vehicles being used to carry school children under contract in the North West was a matter of concern, said Mr R. D. Hutchings, chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners in Manchester last week. He said that if the situation did not improve, sooner or later there would be a serious accident.
Five operators were called before the Commissioners for consideration of revocation or suspension of their licences. Four more are to be called.
Those which appeared last week were N. R. Higham, trading as Higham's Coaches, Bolton, with two vehicles; Tom Jackson (Chorley) Ltd with 18 vehicles; N. H. Griffiths, trading as Blue Car Services, Nantwich, with eight vehicles; D.H. & B.C. Clarke, trading as Clarke's Coaches, Wigan, with 10 vehicles; and Toppings Super Coaches Ltd, Liverpool, with two vehicles.
In all cases evidence was given that suspension notices had been placed on the coaches operated. In the cases of Higham's Coaches, Jackson and Griffiths there had also been problems with the condition of coaches presented for recertification.
After hearing in both cases that new arrangements for maintenance had been made with commercial garages the Commissioners took no action other than to issue severe warning against Higham's Coaches and N. H. Griffiths' coaches.
The hearing of the Tom Jackson (Chorley) case was adjourned after Mr J. A. Backhouse, for the company, said it had not had any prior notification of allegation by the vehicle examiner concerning operation of coaches without licences. Reference would have to be made to a number of documents not in court before the allegations could be answered.
Following an undertaking from Clarke's Coaches that they would increase the number of maintenance staff, the Commissioners reserved their decision for three months— they will then consider the situation at that time.
Suspending one of the two licences held by Toppings Super Coaches for three months, Mr Hutchings said the company held a schools contract and the suspension would give it an opportunity to get its vehicles into first-class condition.
All the operators were warned that any further suspension notices would lead to drastic action. This was stated by Mr ID. Bayliss, a GLC transportation planner, at the Metropolitan Section of the Chartered Institute of Transport last week. "But it is not just money that will be required," he added. There had to be additional powers to restrain traffic.
Among these restraints he listed bus lanes—there were already 113 in London and the total planned was 200.
The restraint philosophy was challenged by Mr Ralph