Railways Prejudice Objection by Oversight
Page 35
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THE North Western Road Car Co., Ltd.. were seeking to compete With a service that British Railways had carefully nursed since the opening of Butlin's Holiday Camp at Filey in 1947, Mr. J. Granville Dixon, objecting for the British Transport Commission, told the North Western 'Traffic Commissioners at Manchester .on. Tuesday.
The Commissioners were continuing the hearing of the company's application to pick up and set down at the camp on their three express services to Scarborough from Manchester, Stockport and Biddulph, which pass the camp entrance.
Mr. Dixon said the fares on the services varied between 0.84d. and Id. per mile, compared with 1.34d. per mile quoted in a recent application by North Western for a service between Manchester and Cleethorpes.
Only at peak periods did rail passengers suffer any real hardship. The railways had had many years of experience and were in close liaison with the camp authorities.
Mr. F. Williamson, chairman, pointed out that the railways had not objected to the primary application on the Biddulph licence in the West Midland area. It was unopposed and would be granted. He could see no way of stopping Congleton and Macclesfield passengers from alighting at Filey if North Western were entitled to stop there.
Mr. Dixon said it appeared that they had prejudiced themselves by their failure to object and it might be necessary to apply for a locus to do so.
North Western would strongly oppose any grant of a locus; said Mr. John Green, for the company. About 10 per cent, of the 18,000 passengers taken by them to Bridlington and Scarborough in 1956 were for the camp, and they had to be carried past the entrance and return I l miles from Scarborough.
Rail holiday services were grossly overerowded. Two outward and five inward trains in July and August had many standing passengers, and apart from the one through train from Manchester to the camp on Saturdays, and the returns, rail facilities involved many changes.
Yorkshire Traction Co., Ltd., who ran a comparable service from Barnsley to Filey and Bridlington, were granted a picking-up point at the camp despite opposition by the B.T.C.
Mr. Williamson said that the railways could not suffer any real damage if the application were granted. It would, however, be necessary to examine the evidence from the first hearing in November (The Commercial Motor, November 16) and to consult the Yorkshire Commissioners about the backing application (The Commercial Motor, October 19). Decision would be given as soon as itossible.