,IMPORTANT DECISION OF MINISTER ON COACH DUPLICATION
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THE Minister of Transport has an• flounced his decision in regard to important appeals relating to the question of duplication of long-distance coaches, fares and time-tables. In the case of seven appeals, however, made by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co., against decisions of the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner, in relation to applications by Wood Bros. (Blackpool), Ltd., W. C. Stanclerwick, Ltd., Scout Motor Services, Lid., J. Bracewell, Ltd., and Yelloway Motor Services, Ltd., the latter concerns asked that the Minister's decision should be withheld until other appeals relating to decisions by the North-Western Commissioners, in respect of the same services, had been heard and consideted. The Minister has granted this .request and, accordingly, has deferred his decision on those appeals.
On appeals made by the Western' S.M.T. Co., Ltd., and the Scottish M.T. Co., Ltd., against conditions as to duplication, and the appeals of the London and North-Eastern Railway Co. against Charlton's Blue Safety. Coaches, Ltd., Majestic Saloon Coaches, Ltd., United Automobile Services, Ltd., Orange Bros,, Ltd., and Phillipsons Motor Coaches, Ltd., the question to be settled is whether the principle underlying the Minister's previous decision as to duplication of long-distance coaches, which are not of a touring, excursion or primarily holiday character, should be applied to the services concerned.
It will be remembered that the previous decision, reported in our issue, dated September 15, 1983, stated that, on long-distance services, the additional number of vehicle-journeys allowed to be operated on any one day and in any one direction should not exceed the minimum number of vehicle-journeys in the same direction, for the daily running of which the operator is prepared to assume responsibility throughout the year.
In announcing his decision on the present appeals, the Minister supports the view taken by Sir Henry Wynne in his report that these services are in competition with a backbone railway service and are not of a primarily holiday character, and that the duplication of vehicles on the services should be limited to the scale contained in the Order of 1933. A modification of the terms of the 1933decision, regarding the question of unbalanced traffic, was, however, suggested by Sir Henry Wynne, and the Minister, in considering this proposal, has decided that effect should be given to it.
He has, therefore, decided to require the two bodies of Commissioners concerned to vary the conditions attached to the road-service licences involved, so as to provide that the number of additional vehicle-journeys which may be operated shall be subject to the following limitations :—(1) The number of additional vehicle journeys to be operated on any one day shall not exceed three times the minimum number of vehicle journeys required to. be operated each day throughout the year under the terms of the licences, and .. (2) the number of additional vehiclejourneys to be operated in any one direction on any one day shall not exceed two-thirds of the total number of additional vehicle-journeys allowed on any one day under the terms of (1) above.
With reference to appeals brought by the London and North-Eastern Railway Co. against the decisions of the Northern Traffic Commissioners to reduce certain fares on services operated by Phillipsons Motor Coaches, Ltd, Charlton's Blue Safety Coaches, Ltd., Majestic Saloon Coaches, Ltd., United Automobile Services, Ltd., and Orange Bros., Ltd., the Minister has decided to allow, these appeals. He will, therefore, require the Commissioners to reinstate the fares in force prior to the decisions which formed the subject of the appeals. This requirement is, however, without prejudice to the consideration by the Commissioners of any application which may be made to them in the future for the adjustment of particular fares, which could be justified in detail, or for a new fares table which would not be open to the objections contained in the report submitted by Sir Henry Wynne.