Mexborough and Swinton Times May 20, 1927

Unlicensed Buses

Thurnscoe Council Prosecutes Proprietors

Instituted by the Thurnscoe Urban District Council, three summonses were served at Doncaster on Saturday against mortar bus proprietors, for having permitted buses to be used in Thurnscoe without a licence from the Urban Council.

The first defendant was Harold Oscroft, of Goldthorpe, who was summoned in respect of an offence on April 30. It was stated that he was fined £2 in August of last year for a similar offence, and a penalty of £2 was again imposed. He was told he had a right to appeal to the Ministry of Transport.

Prosecuting on behalf of the Urban Council, Mr J Leger Hawksworth (Clerk) said the defendant was plying for hire between Thurnscoe and Goldthorpe on April 30 when he had no licence. The Council had given serious consideration to the question of transport services. They had granted licences to consider a number of person, quite sufficient to meet the requirements of the public. The omnibus owners were giving regular daily services had serious occasion to complain to the Council of the “pirate” buses, run at the time that suited themselves, and had no society to ply for hire.

The action of the “pirate” buses was not fair to those who had licences, was against the wishes of the Council, and was not in the interests of the public.

Two witnesses gave evidence of having travelled on the bus and paid fares.

Oscroft said he had made five applications in the Council for a licence, but all had been refused.

For similar offences and on April 30, Francis Stewardson, Goldthorpe, was fined 30 shillings and James Robson of Great Houghton, who had been convicted previously was ordered to pay £2.