Free Movement Not Favoured
Page 35
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WE are not in favour of absolutely unrestricted vehicle movement," commented Mr. H. Thom, chairman of the South Eastern Licensing Authority, at Winchester on Tuesday, when he refused an application by Triumph Coaches, Ltd., to run additional coaches at weekends for Service personnel stationed at Portsmouth.
The applicants' figures, went on Mr. Thom, showed that the number of vehicles they were allowed to operate was at least double that necessitated by the traffic. No evidence had been provided to show that any member of the public had been inconvenienced.
Mr. E. A. Jacobs, for Triumph Coaches, said his clients had established a need for leave coaches to Bristol, Birmingham, Weymouth, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Plymouth. They were willing to run a coach if there was only one passenger.
As the Royal Navy were paid fortnightly, there were periods of increased demands by men wishing to travel home on leave. The demand was being further increased by ,a change in the leave system at an Army depot at Hilsea.
Mr. D. S. Hall, general manager, and Mr. G. Privctt, traffic manager of Triumph Coaches, said that because of the time factor many Servicemen would he unable to travel home on weekend leave from Portsmouth without their services.
Objecting for British Railways and the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., Mr. G. H. P. Beams said the applicants were asking for nothing less than "a blank cheque."
AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. IMPORT CUTS
Aus FRALIA and New Zealand announced on Tuesday that their imports of commercial vehicles were to be reduced. Full details of the restrictions on Australian imports had not been released when The Commercial Motor closed for press, but New Zealand import licences for vehicles in 1956 will be a third less than in the current year.
In 1954, more than 48,000 vehicles were imported into New Zealand, and the total for this year was expected to reach 50,000.
BIRMINGHAM IN THE CLEAR?
THE chairman of Birmingham Trans'. port Committee, Ald. H. Watton, said on Monday that the transport department hoped to clear this year the outstanding deficit of £132,000. Three years ago the department had a deficit of 022,000. Ald. Watton added: "I would say that these figures prove that our undertaking is being run both
efficiently and successfully." • Aid. Walton said there were 500 coloured workers in the undertaking.