Renewal Grant for Richards Bros.
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AN application by Richards Bros., bus operators of Mod Grove, Pembrokeshire, for a renewal of a licence to run excursions and tours starting from Cardigan was objected to by the Western Welsh Omnibus Co. at a sitting of the South Wales Traffic Commissioners on Wednesday, at Carmarthen. The objectors contended that picking-up points should be restricted to the Borough of Cardigan and should not apply to places between Cardigan and Newcastle Emlyn.
Mr. Roderic Bowen, for Richards Bros., said the application was for a renewal of the licence without a variation of conditions.
The condition to which Western Welsh objected was that the holders of the licence should be entitled to take up passengers at points other than the starting points, provided the fare paid was the full return fare. The condition had existed for several years and would cause hardship if it was withdrawn. Mr. William R. Richards who runs the applicant's business with his brother, Mr. Idris Richards, in replying to Mr. Stanley Harris, assistant traffic manager of Western Welsh, said they started picking up passengers for excursions and tours between Cardigan and Newcastle Emlyn immediately they took over the business. No objection was made until recently.
Mr. Harris, giving evidence, said Western Welsh first knew that Richards Bros. were picking up passengers between Cardigan and Newcastle Emlyn during the end of 1963 and had been informed by the South Wales Traffic Commissioners that there was a special condition in the licence held by Richards Bros. Western Welsh contended, said Mr. Harris, that the applicants were given an unfair advantage over all other operators of excursions and tours.
Mr. R. R. Jackson, chairman of the Commissioners, said they found that Richards Bros. were entitled to take up passengers at points other than the starting points, provided the passengers were on the line of the route and had paid the authorized fare from the starting point. The licence held by the applicants would be renewed provided that from December 1 next the fare was uplifted by 50 per cent of the difference between the present authorized fare and the Public Vehicles Order Scale.