OPERATING COMPANIES APPLY TO WITHDRAW A SERVICE
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The Plea Advanced That There are Adequate Railway Facilities
A STIR has been created in roadtransport circles in the north by the application of threeconcerns for permission to withdraw a joint service between Newcastle and North Shields, via the coast road.
A formal application has been lodged with the Northern Area Traffic Commissioner, Mr. H. Riches, by the Newcastle Corporation transport department, Wakefield's Motors, Ltd., and the Tynemouth and District Electric Traction Co., Ltd.
Mr. Riches has referred the matter to the licensing committees of the authorities through the areas of which the service passes, the corporations of Newcastle, Wallsend earl Tynemouth and the Urban District Council of Longbenton, for their opinions before taking any action on the proposal. From one quarter at least, Tynemouth, the project is to be contested, the local watch committee having asked for permission to be heard when the application is made before the Commissioners.
Two of the concerns, Wakefield's Motors, Ltd., and the Tynemouth and District Electric Traction Co., Ltd., are part of the extensive railway combine in that area, and, together with Newcastle Corporation, have a monopoly of the route. At present they jointly operate a direct 20-minute service between the
two centres, and in applying for permission to withdraw this service have put forward the claim that there is a sufficient train service to meet the need of passenger traffic.
An alternative suggestion is put for ward by the applicants to cater for North Shields passengers by existing through services to other parts of the coast. It is proposed that the Newcastle-Tynemouth and Newcastle-Whitley Bay services, which are operated by Newcastle Corporation, Wakefield's Motors, Ltd., and the Tynemouth and District Electric Traction Co., Ltd., should be extended to take in North Shields instead of the direct coast-road run, and that the Newcastle-Blyth service of United Automobile Services, Ltd., via the coast road, should also touch North Shields.
The Newcastle-North Shields route has figured prominently in several dis
putes, and was the subject of a Ministry of Transport inquiry when the action of Tynemouth Corporation in refusing to sanction a " United " service from Whitley Bay to Newcastle, via Preston, North Shields, was upheld. The adoption of the present proposals would give the United company the powers it then unsuccessfully sought.
The projected withdrawal is being brought before the Tyneside Regional Area Committee for the control of bus traffic, mid is likely to be cited at the forthcoming conference of local public authorities which is to be held to consider their powers, under the Road Traffic Act, of jointly operating and maintaining bus services. ,
Interest in this development is keen and widespread, for municipal transport officials and operators of public-service motorbuses throughout the area and elsewhere begin to speculate as regards other sections of route, served by both rail and road facilities, on which the big companies may similarly seek to withdraw the road services forcing the traffic back on to the railway.