Industry can be 'real struggle' says coach operator as Elcock Reisen enters administration

The comments come as Telford-based as Elcock Reisen confirmed its financial trouble on Wednesday, leaving hundreds of holidaymakers unable to take their breaks and not knowing if they will get their money back.

Family-run Cookson Travel is winding down, having revealed last month it was to close its doors for the final time after 20 years in business, and has explained the challenges helped lead to the decision to cease operations.

The firm, which delivers pupils to schools in Welshpool, Llanfyllin, Newtown and Bishop’s Castle Community College, is closing after directors Mike and Chris Cookson decided to retire from the industry.

But Chris also said that they had also taken into account a lack of driver availability, which is ‘a nationwide problem’ and other challenges which operators face.

"It's sad to hear the news about Elcock Reisen," she said. "The industry can be a real struggle, with so many rules and regulations, it can be unreal.

"I do feel sorry for Elcock because it's a company that has been around for so long and I would think, if you spoke to other operators, they might well say they are struggling.

"The driver situation is a big, big problem and that was one of the major factors that made our decision.

"Our drivers stayed with us and have been very loyal but there's a severe shortage of young drivers coming through across the country. A PCV licence is extremely costly, ridiculously so.

"And, for some of the older drivers, they don't want to do their CPC training again, some 35 hours of training in seven-hour increments.

"In addition, if we had carried on we would have had to have upgraded the fleet to meet council requirements for the age of vehicles.

"Firms have had to deal with fuel prices up, although it has stabilised now, and there are a lot of high outgoings, insurances have gone up by 20 per cent and big town and cities bringing in charges for greener zones, so it costs extra to take a party somewhere."

Cookson Travel has bookings on private hire until the end of September and will then wind down, Chris added.

“We won’t miss the early winter mornings of starting up the vehicles in the dark, scraping snow and ice off the screens in freezing temperatures," she said. "But we will miss all miss the wonderful groups we have worked with and all our passengers.”