45-ft. Coaches Planned by Midland "Red" for Motorway Service
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SPECIAL 60-seat coaches, 45 ft. long and incorporating toilet accommodation, are envisaged by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., for a Birmingham-London service along the new motorway, which is scheduled for completion in the autumn. Mr. E. S. Fay, Q.C., outlined their proposals at Birmingham, last week, when he asked the West Midland Traffic Commissioners to grant them an express licence for the service. He said that if the application were
granted the company would apply to the Minister of Transport for permission to operate the outsize vehicles. Some details of design had still to be settled so it would be impossible to inaugurate the service with them, but as a temporary measure existing 37-seaters would have four seats removed to provide room for toilet facilities.
Referring to an objection by British Railways, Mr. Fay suggested that there should be healthy competition between road and rail. Considering the millions of pounds which the public had paid for the roads they were entitled to the facilities which the company now propose to offer, Nearly Two Hours Saved Coaches would run between Birmingham and Victoria Coach Station, London, using the motorway from Dunchurch to Watford. Three departures daily in each direction were wanted, with a vehicle allowance of four on any one timing. Timetables would be planned to allow 50 m.p.h. operation on the motorway which would cut the road time for the journey from 5 hours 16 minutes to 3 hours 25 minutes.
It was expected that practically all the end to end passengers on the present services — about 50,000 annually — would transfer to the new service.
Mr. Fay thought that where services between the two largest cities in England were concerned there was room for both road and rail. There might be some small shift from rail to road but the company had lost traffic when diesel trains were put into operation between Birmingham and Lichfield, and they would probably do so again when the new diesel expresses came into operation.
Answering Mr. G. H. P. Beames, for the railways Mr. R, K. Cope, Midland 830
" Red " deputy traffic manager, agreed that the potential number of new passengers that could be carried annually was 288,288 on existing vehicles.
Mr. Beames pointed out that there were already five express coach services and two main-line rail routes between Birmingham and London. The railways were not opposed to the use of the motorways by coach services, but existing facilities should be transferred.
Mr. Cope replied that existing timetable services must be maintained to serve intermediate passengers_ After an adjournment, Mr. Bearnes said that the application, as lodged, involved many more vehicles than now appeared to be the ease. The company had now indicated that they were prepared to operate within their existing vehicle allowance which would partly meet the objection. But the railways could not accede to the proposed evening departures which were in direct competition with existing rail facilities.
Mr. Fay said passengers would want' an evening timing. In any case, it was essential from an economic standpoint to have three timings which could be operated by two vehicles, cutting out waiting time.
Reserving decision, the chairman, Mr. W. P. James. said the application would be carefully considered.
TIRED OF N.1.1.C. DELAY CASH awards will be given to Coventry Corporation bus drivers for safe driving if the council agree to a scheme drawn up by the transport committee. The committee submitted their proposals to the National Joint Industrial Council for the Road Passenger Transport Industry a year ago, but so far they have received no decision. Now they intend to promote the scheme without waiting for N.J.I.C. approval.