ANOTHER COACH STATION FOR LONDON.
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IT is anticipated that, in about a fortnight's time, the new coach station in Jamaica Street, Commercial Road, London, E.1, of Gilberts Garage and Coaching Station, Ltd., will be opened. The premises will be used by Gilberts Luxury Coaches and by other operators running services to the south and southeast coast.
We understand that the coachingstation conipany is in negotiation with other operators, with a view to their making use of the station as a pickingup point. The premises are built on modern lines, with booking offices, waiting rooms and other facilities.
200 FEWER OPERATORS IN EAST MIDLAND AREA.
SINCE the East Midland Traffic Com
missioners were established, the number of bus operators in the area has been reduced from 917 to a little over 700. This striking announcement was
made by Mr. H. Stirk, chairman of the East Midland Commissioners, at the annual dinner of the Lincolnshire Omnibus Owners Association. He added that few of the operators concerned had not received some compensation.
He stated that the area had a population of 4,000,000 persons, with 20,000 miles of road. During the past 12 months, the Commissioners had instituted 223 prosecutions, many of which, said Mr. Stirk, could have been avoided had drivers been given proper instructions.
STUDYING PUBLIC PREFERENCES IN TRANSPORT.
PUBLIC preferences in passenger
transport were dealt with in a paper read by Mr. H. Watson before a meeting of the Omnibus Society, on March 2. Mr. Watson displayed a keen understanding of the likes and dislikes of various classes of passenger, and 'pointed out the advantages and disadvantages of buses, trams and trains, as viewed by different types of passenger.
LARGE GROWTH OF B.A.A.
AS we announced last week, the Book ing Agents Association of Great Britain, Ltd., held its third annual dinner and daice in London on March 2. The chair was taken by Mr. E. F. Bailey. The guests included Messrs. H. T. Rickards, j. B. Elliott and P. A. Flin, of the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, Ltd.
Mr. T. E. Howard, M.P., Mentioned that in 12 months the membership of the B.A.A. had grown from 160 to 360. He condemned unnecessary restriction of picking-up points and the undercutting by the railways of stabilized coach fares. Mr. Howard pointed out that the railways hoped to see the London Passenger Transport Bill on the Statute Book by June next.
Mr. Bailey made a plea for co-operation and pointed to the good example set by London Coastal Coaches, Ltd. Some consternation was caused when Mr. Rowand Harker, K.C., announced that the London Passenger Transport Bill had, that evening, passed the second reading in the House of Lords, a motion for the reference of the measure to a select committee having been out-voted.
Oilier speakers included Mr. F. G. 344 Goodman, vice-chairman of the Association; Mr. Gleeson E. Robinson, Metropolitan Traffic Commissioners ; Mr. J. R. Marshall; and Mrs. B. Morris.
A pleasant touch was given to the event by the presentation of prizes by Messrs. Alexandra Coaches.
SPEED-LIMIT CONDITION FOR DOUBLE-DECHERS.
A, SPEED-LIMIT condition has been attached by the Northern Scotland Traffic Commissioners to a licence granted to the transport department of
Dundee Corporation to run doubledeckers during peak hours on the Whitehall Crescent—Kingsway route. The average speed for the complete journey must not exceed 10 m.p.h., and the maximum speed of any vehicle must not exceed 15 m.p.h.
120-MILE DETOUR AVOIDED.
A MOTION against the use of the
Spittal of Glenshee-Cairnwell section of the Braemar road, by vehicles of more than 20-seater capacity, was overruled, last week, by the Northern Scotland Traffic Commissioners. Perth County Council considered that, hi the interests of public safety, the highway concerned should not be used by vehicles of the type mentioned.
The motion was opposed by numerous organizations, including the Scottish Commercial Motor Users Association and the Omnibus Owners Association, London, which were represented by Mr. J. W. Loudon, who also appeared on behalf of various individual proprietors.
It was stated that, if the Devil's Elbow, which is included in the route, was closed to large coaches, a detour of over 120 miles would be necessary to reach Braemar. HULL'S AMBITIOUS CENTRAL BUS STATION.
FURTHER details are now available of the central bus station to be erected at Hull, at a total cost of over .£140,000. A station, a central garage and administrative offices are to be provided, but for a time the offices will be of a temporary nature.
According to the plans, alterations will be tnade to several streets, parts of which will be merged into the station premises. It is intended that, ultimately, there shall be accommodation for 300 buses, but, at first, the stands will provide for 120 vehicles. The station itself will cover an area of 6,860 sq. yds., whilst the picking-up accommodation provided will be augmented, when required, by the garage.
MR. HEATON ON PASSENGERTRANSPORT PROBLEMS.
SEVERAL interesting comments on the
passenger-transport industry were made by Mr. John F. Heaton, chairman and managing director of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., at the company's annual general meeting. He urged upon the Ministry of Transport •the necessity of expediting the hearings of, and decisions upon, appeals.
He mentioned that the company had opposed the London Passenger Transport Bill since its inception and pointed out that the company had been operating buses in London for upwards of 85 years. Mr. Heaton criticized the finan cial structure of the Bill. • Referring to taxation, he said that for every shilling paid in bus fares, approximately 2d. is represented by a special taxation.
CONFERENCE TO CONSIDER RUGBY TERMINI.
A CONFERENCE is to be held, before
• the season commences, of representatives of Rugby Corporation, the local bus operators, the police authorities and of the West Midland Commissioners. The object of the meeting will be to consider the question of bus starting points in the town.
THREE OPERATORS COMBINE.
A JOINT service from Lancashire (Blackpool) to Yorkshire, for operation by three Blackpool concerns, was licensed last week, by the North Western Traffic Commissioners. It appears that, last year, each undertaking made a separate application, which was granted by the North Western Traffic Commissioners' but refused in the Yorkshire Area. The companies have now entered Into a joint operating agreement and a system of interavailable tickets is in force. The plan has been approved by the Yorkshire Commissioners.
TAXI ASSOCIATIONS DISCUSS FARES WITH SIR J. GILMOUR.
A DEPUTATION of representatives
of the various bodies interested in London taxicab operation met the Home Secretary, Sir John Gilmour, last week. Most of the representatives appeared to object to the initial hiring fee for taxicabs being increased from 6d. to 9d., whilst others held that, if an increase were necessary, it should be to is.
It was stated that the average remuneration of employed drivers was less than 30s. per week, and that many men had to work 14 hours a day on seven days of the week. WALLACE ARNOLD TOURS DEVELOPMENT.
A PORTION of the British and Con
tinental Travel Bureau, 48, Southampton Row, London, W.C.1, is to be taken over by Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd., 59, Corn Exchange, Leeds, for the purpose of charting, and the latter company is to appoint a representative to take charge of this work at the new office.
The Coachways service from London to Leeds is, we understand, being re organized, Mr. P. H. R. Harris and Mr. Matthews, of Coachways, Ltd., having asked Mr. Robert Barr, direct-or of Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd.; to become managing director of the former concern.
NEW MORNING STAR CO.
. A COACHING company, with the
title of Morning Star Motors, Ltd., has been registered, the directors being Messrs. E; C. and G. J. Jones, of Bristol. NEW HILLMANS AIR SERVICES TO PARIS AND MARGATE.
ON April 1, Hillmans Airways are to start a twice-daily air service from London to Paris, using De Havillaud Dragon machines equipped as fiveseaters. The fare will be £5 return, with an excursion rate of £4 on Mondays and Thursdays.
. On April 8. the firm will inaugurate -a service to Margate, where they have acquired an aerodrome. Hillmans air services are developing rapidly.