Ribble Hearing Concluded
Page 64
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THE third sitting of the North' Western Traffic Commissioners to hear applications by Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., of modifications relating to the issue of three-monthly return tickets, 15s. tourist tickets, cheap day returns and other facilities, brought the conclusion of the hearing, decisions in all cases being reserved. The hearing finished at Blackpool on Saturday last.
On Saturday, there was strong opposition to the 15s. tourist ticket by Blackpool and Morecambe Corporations, serious effects being anticipated with regard to those local services where the Ribble concern offered an alternative and particularly where there are co-ordinated time-tables.
Opening his final submission for the applicant, Mr. J. Lustgarten said that no tickets would be allowed to cause a breach of any agreement entered into by the company. With reference to the railway figures, there was no doubt that, for some years, the railway had lost traffic, partly beca.use it did not provide suitable facilities. The bus, he continued, would still be able to provide cheaper and better transport, but it was controlled and, with the railway assisting in the control, the competition became unfair. Regarding the excursion and tour operators' objections, the 15s. ticket was a means for creating new traffic.
It was only because of the buses that the rail facilities had been improved. If other road operators were unwilling to compete with the railways, did it mean that the Ribble concern was to be prevented from doing so? Although the ticket had been in existence, the experiment had not been a fair one, for the truncated areas in which it was offered did not give it a reasonable opportunity of proving its value. In conclusion, Mr. Lustgarten warned the road operators who were bed-fellows with the railway in the opposition, that, in the end, they would find the railway in the bed and they themselves on the floor.
Referring to the submission for the co-ordinated objectors, it was stated on behalf of the Southport Association that its members were not objecting to the cheap day fares proposed.