Commissioners Accept Railway Challenge
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ALICENCE for out-of-season inclusive tours to the Isle of Wight, catering for elderly people, was granted to Heaps Tours, Ltd., Leeds, on Monday, despite a plea by British Railways that the Traffic Commissioners had no right to make the grant. Mr. T. B. Atkinson, for the railways, told Maj. F. S. Eastwood, chairman of the Commissioners: "It is fantastic. I ant challenging your authority to grant an open licence."
Maj. Eastwood replied: "1 will accept your challenge and I will grant an open licence."
Mr. J. Evans, for Heaps, said they wanted to run sevenor eight-day tours. When the application was first published there were objections from road operators about the restriction to passengers over 55 years of age. British Railways were now objecting to the application as re-published, with the restriction removed, although it was still not intended to carry people under 55 years old. Answering Mr. Atkinson:1%e agreed that the service could be operated •in future as though the licence were open if it was acquired by another operator. Mr. Atkinson told the Commissioners he would offer no evidence.
"It should be restricted, and must be restricted," he declared. "The Commissioners have no right to grant a licence open to all the general public:'