Q As a bus operator with six vehicles engaged on school
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and private hire work I would like to diversify into the lucrative business of providing a regular service to the coastal resorts. Is there any chance of persuading the Traffic Commissioners to grant me a road service licence?
A Successfully to apply for a road service licence for the kind of operation you have in mind you would need to be able to prove that there was a demand for such a service and that this was not provided for by the existing services of established operators, who would undoubtedly object to your application. It is not sufficient merely to show that there is no regular service from A to B; it will be necessary to show that there is no convenient feeder service from A to pick up what might be a regular service from some other originating point to B.
As you are already in private hire work, the number of times your vehicles are engaged for similar journeys could no doubt be shown to the Traffic Commissioners to support your application.
It could be that the decision of the Traffic Commissioners might be influenced by the enterprise you show in discovering an area of need, which has not been provided with a satisfactory service by established operation.