Week's Extension for 98B

27th May 1966, Page 90

27th May 1966

Page 90

Page 90, 27th May 1966 — Week's Extension for 98B

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TN a last attempt to make an uneconomical A service pay, Valliant Direct Coaches Ltd. has extended, for a further week, the trial operation of former London Transport service 98B from North Harrow to Ruislip Station. This section of the 98 and 98B service was not reinstated after the ending of the overtime ban earlier this year.

At least two operators tried to make a go of the service during the period of the ban, but withdrew after only one week. Finally, when it became clear that LTB did not wish to testore the service, Valliant agreed to operate the service on a trial basis for three weeks. This period expired on Saturday, and the verdict was that the service was not economical.

However, several suggestions had been made for making the service economical and the trial was extended until tomorrow, incorporating some of the suggestions. Valliant have employed 41-seat coaches with the entrance ahead of the front axle, making them ideally suitable for one-man operation.

A Valliant spokesman told COMMERCIAL MoToR this week that passenger loadings generally had been very poor. Occasional journeys produced a good load, but these were insufficient to make the service a paying proposition.

The service operated on an hourly basis throughout the day; had a more frequent service been operated during the peaks it might have been more successful.