Victoria Coaches Win Appeal Against State Interests
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GAINST strong opposition from the Railway Executive and Westcliff-on-Sea Motor Services, Ltd., a State-owned coach operator, Victoria Coaches (Leigh-on-Sea), Ltd., have succeeded in their appeal against a decision of the Eastern Licensing Authority and have been granted a licence to operate an express service between Southend and London by the Minister of Transport.
At the same time, the Minister has recorded his disagreement with his inspector's recommendation that the licence be limited to peak periods. He has left the attachment of conditions to the discretion of the Authority.
During the appeal hearing last September, Mr. M. A. B. King-Hamilton, for Victoria Coaches, said the application had been for a high-frequency daily service.It was refused in toto, although .a less frequent service Could have been granted. He submitted that it was difficult to understand the refusal; there could have been few cases in which there was so much evidence of the inadequacy of existing facilities.
He compared Southend with Aylesbury, Reading and other places, all of which had regular coach services to London, and said it was remarkable, if not 'unique,. that for a town of its size the only regular through service. 1,V.5 provided by the railways.
Licensing Authority Surprised
Mr. King-Hamilton submitted that if evidence showed that the railway service was inadequate, the case for a road service was made out. The Licensing Authority, he said, seemed surprised at that argument, but to ignore it was to disregard their duty under Section 72 (3) (d) of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, which provided for 'adequate, suitable and efficient services."
An overwhelming need had been established from the point of view of the railways' unreliability.
Mr. Maurice Holmes, for the Railway Executive and Westcliff-on-Sea Motor Services, said that in contending that the railway provided the only regular service to London, reference to the City coach service (run by Westcliff Motor Services) was eliminated. That service, with a number of picking-up points, was run to the Wood Green electric railway to London, and was comparable to London Transport's Green Lino service. There were also other services to London.
More Seats in Trains He quoted from a document that during the 1947 peak period, 8,965 seats were offered in 10 trains. In 1952 10,079 seats were offered in 10 trains— an increase of some 1,000 seats— whereas traffic had risen from only 7,155 to 7,531 passengers. He admitted that there was overcrowding on trains at all times during peak periods.
Replying, Mr. King-Hamilton said it was incredible that the City coach ;entice was still being put forward as an alternative. The witness for the operating company did not produce any a2
figures showing end-to-end traffic of this short stage bus service taking 2 hr. 50 min., and on which double-deckers were used.
In his conclusions, the inspector, Sir Oswald Allen, said he did not regard the existing facilities as adequate. He recommended that the appellants be granted a licence for a year, provided that the number of passengers carried by the service was limited to the number that could be accommodated by single coach departures without duplication and during peak periods only. He 'submitted that such limited competition would not be wasteful, and would relieve congestion on the trains at peak periods.
He suggested that at the end of a year the effect of the road service would be discernible.
£33m. FOR DUNLOP
NEW share issues and a reorganization of the company's capital structure were announced on Monday by the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd. The capital will be increased to £33,555,954. The authorized capital at present stands at £20m., of which £17,253,969 is issued and paid up.
NEW 4,000-GALLON TANKER IT is announced that Atkinson Lorries 1(1933), Ltd., and Darharrt Industries (London), Ltd., are building a 4,000gallon tanker which conforms with the latest petroleum regulations and weighs 21 tons 18 cwt, 1 qr. laden.