to Quick Decision for
Page 33
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Northern Railways
IT is understood that the Minister of Transport has agreed to reach a quick decision on the cross-appeals concerning the Glasgow-Birmingham service operated by Northern Roadways, Ltd. The company seek the removal of the restriction that they may not carry passengers originating from Birmingham. The Railway Executive, the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., Western S.M.T. Co., Ltd., North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., and Majestic Express Motors, Ltd., wish the West Midland Licensing Authority's decision to permit the service to be rescinded.
Sir Robert Tolerton, Ministry inspector, continued the hearing of the case in'Glasgow last week.
Mr. F. A. Stockdale, for Northern Roadways, Ltd., contended that the companies who opposed the service were not the existing operators over the route. Two of them, he said, were licensed to run from Glasgow to Manchester and the others from Manchester to Birmingham. The mere accident that separate services licensed for different purposes converged at one point did not entitle the companies to marry them and claim to be existing operators between Glasgow and Birmingham, said Mr. Stockdale.
Mr. William Blackwood. for the associated road operators, submitted that there was room for only one road service, and that this should be one that was co-ordinated with others. The service proposed by Northern Roadways, Ltd., would do irreparable harm to his clients' services by abstracting traffic.
Mr. Maurice Holmes, for the Executive, averred that any extension of road facilities would not be in the public interest. As regarded the contention by Northern Roadways, Ltd., that railway fares were unreasonable and higher than_a substantial section of the public could pay, Mr. Holmes said that workers' wages were 185 per cent. greater than before the war.