§ Lord Underhillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Secretary of State for Transport decided to allow the appeal of Yeowart's Coaches against a refusal of the Northern Traffic Commissioners to grant them a licence to run a new bus service around Whitehaven, although the inspector whom he appointed to conduct an inquiry had recommended that the appeal be dismissed.
§ The Earl of AvonMy right honourable friend's reasons for allowing the appeal by Yeowart's Coaches were given in the decision letter issued on 3rd August 1981, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. I am sending a copy to the noble Lord.
§ Lord Underhillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Secretary of State for Transport, in deciding to allow the appeal of Yeowart's Coaches against the refusal of the Northern Traffic Commissioners to grant a licence for a new bus service around Whitehaven, took into consideration that the Cumberland Motor Services runs other bus services on uneconomic routes and whether Yeowart's Coaches have been given a condition also to operate any service on an uneconomic route or to run a service at unpopular times.
§ The Earl of AvonMy right honourable friend in reaching his decision took into account all the evidence which was before the Traffic Commissioners, which included evidence about the routes run by Cumberland Motor Services.
The Transport Act 1980 requires that a licence, if granted, be granted in accordance with the application except to the extent that to do so would be against the interests of the public; in pursuance of this, no conditions were imposed upon the licence granted to Yeowart's Coaches other than those applied to road service licences generally.