O.K. Motors, Yes Firtree Coaches, No
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• Mr J. A. T. Hanlon, chairman of the Northern Traffic Commissioners, sitting in Newcastle on Tuesday, decided to grant an application by O.K. Motor Services Ltd for a new express licence, but to refuse a similar application by Firtree Coaches Ltd after he had heard that there was not enough demand for two different companies to operate identical services in the same area.
The companies each objected to the other's application, and both sought authority to operate a Saturday night bus service from, the Bishop Auckland area to a Sunderlam;Vdance hall.
Mr F. Oswald, director of Firtree Coaches, told the Commissioners that for some time his company had been operating a similar service to a Newcastle ballroom, but had recently been asked by certain youth clubs to run a coach on private hire to the Sunderland dance hall.
There was not enough demand for two services of this nature, said Mr Oswald, and on one occasion his passengers had only amounted to half the number usually carried after another company had also operated a dance hall service. Any other service of this nature being operated in the Bishop Auckland area would lead to abstraction of his passengers.
In his submission to the Commissioners, Mr Oswald claimed that as his company only operated one tour compared with 150 various tours and excursions operated by O.K. Motors, Firtree Coaches should be granted the application.
Representing O.K. Motors, Mr T. H. Campbell-Wardlaw agreed that there was not enough passenger traffic to warrant the operation of two separate services. He said that besides operating numerous excursions and tours, O.K. Motors were also committed to operate a number of stage carriage services, many of which were not being run on a viable basis.
Granting the application to O.K. Motors, Mr Hanlon said he wanted them to furnish him with details of the services operated and the number of passengers carried. If at any time O.K. Motors found the service unprofitable to run, the licence could be granted to Firtree Coaches.