Three Operators Want to Carry Miners
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THERE was strong opposition from Lancashire United Transport, Ltd., and Salford Corporation, when Willow.
Coaches, Ltd., Liverpool, applied to the North Western Traffic Commissioners at Manchester, last week, for an unforeseen" express service between Wigan and Sandhole and Agecroft Collieries, in the Manchester area, for men transferred from Maypole Colliery.
Mr. J. Booth, for Willow Coaches, said they held an express licence for miners' services and had support from Mr. J. Stephenson, industrial relations officer for the National Coal Board.
Mr. H. Backhousc, for the objector's, who operate joint stage services in the area, submitted these were more than adequate to cater for the 71 miners being transferred. If extra services were necessary they should be supplied by tho existing operators.
Mr. Stephenson told him that the number of N.C.B. employees at_Agecroft Colliery, with the men to be transferred on February 1, would probably be under 200, but by 1961 would reach about 2,600, when British Railways would be asked for a train service direct to the pit. To this Mr. Backhouse declared that the N.C.B. were asking operators to build up road services, knowing full well that they would be dropped when there were enough men to' justify a rail service.
Mr. Backhouse protested that bringing forward the application as " unforeseen " was an injustice to the objectors. There was no case to answer, as the local services could carry all the passengers.
After the chairman, Mr. F. Williamson, had intimated that he was determined to decide the application because the transfer would be in a few days, the parties agreed on arrangements for carrying the miners until the full applications could be heard.