CPT hits at licence proposals
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PLANS to remove the restraints of road-service licensing for some rural public transport and all express, excursion and extended tour coach services by Transport Minister Norman Fowler were bitterly attacked by Denis Quin, Director General of the Confederation of British Road Passenger Transport (CPT) this week.
Mr Quin sees the move, which is expected to be included in the forthcoming Transport Bill, as "unbelievably misguided and against the public interest." He sees it as opening the door for do-ityourself public transport with no controls on finances, fares or safety standards.
Mr Quin also attacked the Government for releasing details of plans with a complete disregard for "the detailed consultation vital to the industry." He agreed that the bus industry needed a major overhaul of road service licensing but only after proper concultations have taken place.
The plans suggest that car or van sharing pools for vehicles with up to eight seats would be allowed to operate free of licensing controls and would also be able to advertise. It is felt that this could jeopardise the future of conventional rural bus services. No plans exist for changes to normal stage carriage licensing.
Plans to remove express, excursions and tour coaches from the need for road service licences will not meet with overall disapproval from the coach industry. A number of operators in the past have been refused excursion and tours licences following successful objections from established operators and a feeling exists in sections of the industry that a cartel of established licensed operators exists.