'OFF-SIDE' CLAIM IN LICENCE ROW
Page 30
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BY GRANTING a licence to the Manchester United Supporters Travel Club, for the carriage of pre-booked passengers to away matches, the North Western Traffic Commissioners had created a virtual monopoly for the proprietor of the Travel Club, Mr C. D. Smith. This was alleged at Manchester last week.
Stretford Motors Ltd and Greater Manchester PTE were both refused licences to operate from the same point under similar special conditions.
When the hearing opened, Mr J. A. Backhouse, for Stretford Motors, asked for clarification of the position. In July (CM July 30) the Commissioners granted a licence to the club and refused an application by National Travel (North West) Ltd. National had been and continues to carry the traffic under private hire arrangements; it has appealed against the grant of a licence to the club.
The chairman, Mr R. D. Hutchings, said that in making their decision, the Commissioners were influenced by the publicity and the general background concerning hooliganism at football matches. They had discussed with the police how best they could assist.
Special conditions were imposed which could be difficult for coach operators to enforce if the passengers would not co-operate. Consequently, the onus had been put on the club for supervision and if there were breaches of the conditions, the club and not the coach operator would be held responsible.
Arguing against refusal of its application, Mr. J. B. Abbott, managing director of Stretford Motors, said his company was more experienced and competent than the Travel Club in the operation of coaches, The sale of tickets for both European and English matches was now in the hands of Mr Smith's business and coach operators were now unable to get them although there had been no difficulty in the past. A monopoly had been created for someone with no previous experience in passenger transport, and the Commissioners were inferring that existing licensed operators were not suitable people.
Mr E. K. Healey, tours officer for the PTE, said it had regularly provided coaches for the Ramsbottom and Rossendale Branch of the Supporters Club. A quote for the trip to Amsterdam for the Ajax match had been accepted but when application was made to Mr Smith for tickets he had placed the arrangements with Berkeley Travel of Hale.
In order to obtain tickets it was necessary to charge £6 a head more for the trip to Amsterdam than was originally proposed.
Mr Hutchings said that the , Commissioners had no control over the way Manchester United allocated tickets but they would have discussions with all concerned over the distribution of tickets.