HEAVY CURTAILMENT OF LONDON COACH SERVICES
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LAST week the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner announced decisions in connection with coach services between London and six of the principal More Licence Refusals by Metropolitan Commissioner
towns or districts that have been served in the past by Green Line Coaches, Ltd., and independent companies. He reiterated the statement made recently that coaches would not be allowed to eliter the central area, and said that fare stages should be long enough to prevent wasteful competition with short-stage vehicles. In deciding which operating concerns were to supply the services, his primary considerations were efficiency and public interest. There would be no single fare less than la. or return fare of less than is. 6d.
Green Line Coaches, Ltd., has suffered considerably in the apportioning of the licences, and the number of coaches operating on all routes will be less than has been the case in the past.
On the Hemel Hempstead route the Premier Omnibus Co. and Red Rover Saloon Coaches are to operate a coordinated service, whilst on the Watford route the Bucks Express and Green Line are to operate jointly at 15 minutes' frequency. The Green Line Hemel Hempstead-East Grinstead service and Watford-Golders Green service are cancelled.
As regards the Windsor and Maidenhead districts, the Ledbury Transport Co., Ltd., and the Skylark and Amersham and District concerns have received licences, whilst the Green Line and Premier Line, Ltd., are refused. On the Guildford, Woking and Esher routes the Skylark and Green Line companies are licensed, but one of the Green Line services is cancelled.
Dealing with the northern suburbs, the Commissioner has dismissed the Hertford-London applications of the Green Line and P. and S. Coaches, but has licensed a co-ordinated half-hourly service by the Skylark and Regent concerns. The Green Line is to be permitted a half-hourly service between London and St. Albans, extended alternately to give an hourly service to Harpenden and Dunstable, and the company's London-Bishop's Stortford service will be permitted as far as Epping. The St. Albans-London line of Messrs. Charles Russett and Son will not continue.
As regards West Kent, Blue Belle Motors, Ltd., and the Green Line are to run a joint half-hourly service to East Grinstead. The Green Line route to Westerham Hill will continue to operate, and the company will, with Redcar Services, Ltd., run a joint half-hourly service to Tunbridge Welts.
On the East Surrey routes, the Sky
lark company has lost its licence, and Green Line Coaches, Ltd.. will run to Dorking and Crawley, the northward extension of the Crawley route to Bushey not being permitted. The Hitchin-Reigate line of this company is to be continued as a half-hourly service' between Welwyn and London and between London and Reigate.
Green Line Coaches, Ltd., has decided to appeal against the adverse decisions. Several anomalies arise in connection with decisions of the different Commissioners concerned.