Tillingbourne's semi-victory
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PRIVATE operator Tilling bourne Bus Co Ltd, of Cranleigh, Surrey, has partly won its application to the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners for a fares increase and a relaxation of licence restrictions.
Tillingbourne applied to increase fares and introduce a new pick-up point on its twice-monthly service to Chichester.
Principal objector to the application was Southdown. It objected on the grounds that a proposed new pick-up point at Hampers Green, a council estate near Petworth, in Sussex, would damage its already loss-making Chichester service operating from Petworth town and that there was little passenger demand from Hampers Green. Southdown submitted that the three-quarter-mile walk to meet its services was reasonable for country people and„ therefore, there was no demand for the Tillingbourne service.
Southdown was unable to • provide a service to Hampers Green as there were no turning facilities there for one-man buses.
The Commissioners decided' that, as the Tillingbourne; service only ran twice month, subtraction from the Southdown service would be minimal and as the bus already passed Hampers Green it was sensible to allow it to stop to pick up passengers.
However, to protect the Southdown services they insisted that Tillingbourne only issue return tickets.