000,000 LOAN FOR MANCHESTER?
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OVER £500,000 will be borrowed for transport purposes by Manchester Corporation if the scheme presented to the city council on Wednesday (January 8) be approved. Of this sum, £350,000 is required for 100 new double-deck buses and £35,000 for extensions to be made to the Northend bus garage.
Fifty of the buses are required as replacements and the remainder to deal with increased traffic.
TROLLEYBUSES FOR BOLTON: NEW POLICY
BOLTON Town Council has accepted Dille transport committee's recommendation, reported in last week's issue, in favour of the introduction of trolleybuses. At a council meeting, Counc. Walsh said that in the past the corporation had been "married to oilengined buses, but that this policy would not be followed in future.
He quoted the case of Wolverhampton, which had 100 trolleybuses on order and had in 10 years paid for all its vehicles and contributed more than £100,000 to the relief of rates.
Aid. Bentley said that Birmingham did not favour trolleybuses and alleged that Nottingham wished that it had not introduced this type of vehicle.
HALIFAX OPPOSES BILL
CA, A RESOLUTION opposing the Trans
port Bill was approved at Halifax Town Council's meeting on January 1, by a majority vote, an opposition amendment being defeated by 34 votes to 21, after a two-hour debate. The resolution, which had been adopted by the corporation's passenger transport committee, supported the British Omnibus Companies Public Relations Committee in opposition to the Bill.
Aid. Charles Holdsworth (chairman of the passenger transport committee) said that the council should oppose the Transport Bill on the •ground of national security.
Moving the amendment, Aid. F. Sharp argued that there was no difference in principle between State control and municipal control qf transport, as in each case public money, was involved. Duple Motor Bodies, Ltd., London, N.W.9, built the 33-seater luxury body of this Maudslay Marathon coach for Messrs. Sansuel Johnson Supreme Coaches, of Stourbridge. A double opening roof is Jilted and there is a large locker for luggage at the rear. The body panelling is 4
ahnninium.
MOVE FOR CLOSED SHOP
A MOVE savouring of the closed rIshop has been made by Huddersfield branch of the Transport and General Workers' Union, in the form of a notice to Huddersfield Passenger Transport Department that members employed in the department will refuse to work alongside non-unionists, or those who are members of unions not affiliated to the Trade Union Congress.
An official of the union said that, of approximately 1,200 employees in the department, only five were nonunionists. The branch's decision, he explained, did not preclude the corporation from employing non-unionists; a union man would refuse to work on the same vehicle as a non-unionist, SERVICES TAKEN OVER
ON January 1, the Mansfield District Traction Co., Ltd., took over from Messrs. Clarks' Bus Services, Epperstone, Notts, three services from Oxton, Hoveringham and Epperstone to Nottingham.
WESTMINSTER ZONE REJECTS "GROUP LEADER" IDEA CONSIDERABLE difference of
opinion arose, at the first of the " staggering " meetings at Westminster on Tuesday as to whether the so-called "group leader" for the .Westminster zone should be a voluntary official from industry or an official appointed by the Minister of Transport. It has so far been suggested that he should be the former, but when Mr. G. R. Strauss, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry. who presided, asked for discussion, objection was raised on this point by Mr. J. Fitzgerald, of the Clerical and Administrative Workers' Union.
A compromise was reached by the appointment of a committee of five instead cf a "group leader." Thos: volunteering appointment were as follow:—Messrs. J. Fitzgerald, R. D. Webb (Westminster City Council). R. N. Bruce (or a substitute from the Gas, Light and Coke Co.), S. Butter (National Union of Tailors), and Lady F. N. B. Henderson (B.O.A.C.). All this was done informally and democratically, and seemed to be agreeable to all parties, although Mr. Butter had already rejected the whole principle of staggered hours.
Mr. Strauss stressed that it was the aim to execute the whole plan by voluntary action. Each zone, if agreeable to the principle, should appoint a leader or committee.
At the beginning of the meeting a speech had been made by Mr. G. F. C.B.E., deputy general manager (road services), London Transport, in which he.said that the Board would ask each employer hiving 100 or more staff to make known their hours. Discussion could then take place. Mr. Strauss later said that, in the case of Westminster. those having fewer than 100 employees might also have to be considered.
INQUIRY INTO INCREASED FARES
AN inquiry into the increase in fares recently introduced on the trolleybus services operated by the Mexborough and Swinton Traction Co. has been ordered by he Minister of Transport, as a result of representations by the urban district councils of Ravvmarsh, Conisborough, Mexborough and Swinton, and other interested local bodies. Major F. S. Eastwood will conduct the inquiry at Sheffield on January 30.