"Secret Agreement" In Yorkshire
Page 39
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THE Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, at Leeds last week, continued hearing the application of the Yorkshire Traction Co., Ltd. (The Commercial Motor, February 6, 1959) for an increased vehicle allowance on their Huddersfield-Skegness licence. They also .applied for a new licence for excursions and tours from Rossington, during Rossington and Doncaster holiday weeks, to Skegness, Scarborough, Llandudno, Cleethorpes and Blackpool.
British Railways objected to both applications and the second application was also opposed by Doncaster Corporation, G. H. Ennifer, Ltd., and J. H. Barras, Ltd.
British Railways argued that as the Commissioners had to consider Huddersfield, as well as other picking-up points on the licence, and there was no evidence at all in respect of Huddersfield, they could not increase the vehicle allowance for other picking-up points without giving more to Huddersfield. Mr. M. A. Goss, for the private objectors, strongly criticized the motives of Yorkshire Traction. They had entered into a private agreement with a Rossington operator who worked a service into Doncaster jointly with the objectors. No reference was made to other operators; it was done "secretly." It was not in the interests of the public or of transport history that, when there was an agreed timetable, one of the joint operators should secretly enter into an agreement with an outsider. Mr. Goss added that Rossie Motors, " the outsider," did not mind losing traffic as they had been appointed booking agents for Yorkshire Traction. It was a " cheeky " application, he added, without a single independent witness. Mr. W. R. Hargrave, for the applicants, said that the vehicle allowance on the Huddersfield licence had been static for 25 years, and they were entitled to an increase. He accused British Railways of opposing with their tongue in their cheek. He suggested that in the Rossington application his clients had never attempted to hide the arrangement with Rossie Motors. It was utter nonsense, he added, to have to go into Doncaster from Rossington, on a Rossie Motors' bus, and then change on to a Yorkshire Traction vehicle.
The Commissioners reserved their decision.