One fare fair for all?
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A CO-ORDINATED timetable was impossible when operators need differing fares, and County Councils whose duty it used to rationalise fares under 1978 Act, were being put in an invidious position by the provisions of the 1980 Act.
Opposing proposals by the West Midland Traffic Commissioners to remove the fares conditions from all licences in their area, Charles Dunbar for Midland Red said at the hearing in Birmingham that at the time of the Hereford MAP applications it was agreed that the three un-. dertakings serving the A49 between Hereford and Leominster should operate at common fares. But when fares were increased, D. J. Staples, trading as Lugg Valley Motors, did not conform, reiterating that competition could lead to service withdrawals.
Reserving this decision, traffic commissioners chairman Arthur Crabtree said the object of the 1980 Act was to promote competition. If operators withdrew a service, other operators could come forward and seek a licence. The public had a right to cheaper fares and operators would have to fight it out by themselves.
Mr Dunbar said two operators were receiving subsidy and the County could not justly allocate subsidy if there were different fares, but Mr Crabtree was at a loss to understand how the County could seek a trial area where there would be no licensing at all and then ask for fares conditions to be imposed. He could not see how the County could co-ordinate in a trial area.
Far Hereford and Worcester County Coucil, M. Hartmann said guidelines had been drawn up — the County favoured competition so it wanted fares conditions removed. But because of the cheaper fare, more traffic went on the Lugg Valley service via Canon Pyon despite its taking 17 minutes longer than the main road service. Midland Red could not afford to reduce fares to retrieve that traffic unless fares were increased elsewhere.
The only other objections were from the Borough Councils in the West Midland County area in regard to the licences held by the West Midlands PTE. They feared that because of recent heavy increases in fares, the PTE would exploit its monopoly.
The Commissioners reserved their decision.